Take the Stairs
by Trinity Everett
Summary: Castle and Beckett spent one night together and over a year apart. Now they were neighbors and they had a second chance for something extraordinary. Pre-Series AU, Meeting AU. Caskett. A prompt response written for CastleFanficMonday and continued for the 2015 Castle Hiatus Ficathon.
1. Chapter 1

_So here's my #CastleFanficMonday story, based off of a tumblr prompt which I've placed at the bottom of the fic._

 _Many, many thanks to jstar1382 and nikkibeckettcsm for encouraging me, letting me talk things out, and generally being awesome. This fic probably wouldn't have been written if not for them._

 **Take The Stairs**

 _ **A Caskett AU**_

* * *

"Wait, wait! Can you just –"

The metal doors slid shut, effectively cutting off both her entry and her next words.

"Hold the elevator," Kate Beckett finished lamely, pulling her cargo back to make sure the inconsiderate jerk hadn't closed the door on it. Thankfully, everything seemed to be okay, no nicks or scratches, and the occupants of the stroller slept on.

Thank God. The last thing she needed was to juggle two screaming, startled kids while some ass made it difficult for her to get them home. She just hoped said ass wasn't moving their crap just to the second floor. For their sake, not hers. If they were, she might have to get her gun.

She wished she could take the stairs, but carting the thirty-pound stroller and two fifteen pound children up to the fourth floor on foot was absolutely not going to happen. Instead she was stuck on the ground floor, checking her watch and hoping she'd manage to have enough time to shower before her kids awoke from their naps. Otherwise she'd be meeting her father with ineffectively dry-shampooed hair and a hearty reapplication of deodorant.

Of course, that was all assuming she even got back up to her apartment to get either of those items. At the rate she was going, she'd be turning right back around and walking the seventeen blocks as is.

That would convince her dad that she was okay, definitely.

Jim meant well, but each time she brought the twins to see him, her father offered her old room and his office as potential spaces for them, along with suggesting that he retire to be a full-time grandpa. Each time she turned him down, citing the stress it would put on both his recovery and his recent return to doing work he enjoyed. He was finally getting back on track; they didn't need to rock the boat too much. It was a sweet offer, but she'd told herself she could handle her job and take care of her kids without being a burden on her recently-sober father, and she intended to stick to it.

Her kids weren't a mistake, and she would never think of them that way, but they were also _her_ responsibility. She would let her father help, of course, but their care was on her primarily. No one else. It was something she needed to do on her own.

So far she was doing pretty well, all things considered. Her captain cut her a lot of slack, she had a roof over her head, they never went hungry, and even if she never found their dad, her kids would be okay.

Keeping it from the guy had never been the plan, but when she called his number and it had been out of service, but there wasn't much else she could do. All she had was his first name and the defunct number he'd scribbled hastily on a crappy bar napkin. Plus, putting out a BOLO for a 6'2"ish, brown haired, blue-eyed male supposedly named Rick because he'd knocked her up after they slept together in Atlantic City probably would've been considered an abuse of power. She'd considered it, briefly, but ultimately decided against even attempting it. Instead, she'd called a few more times, just in case, put out some off-the-books feelers with the bartenders who'd been working the night she was there, and settled herself into the awe-inspiring, terrifying job of having a baby.

And then, of course, it turned out to be twins. Kate could thank her mother's family for that; her grandmother had been a twin, and her great great aunts had been twins, too. Twins had made it all the more terrifying. Instead of being able to keep it to herself for a little while, she'd had to tell Montgomery, and he'd benched her immediately. Desk duty quickly turned into total bed rest until the babies arrived at thirty-five weeks.

Since then, she hadn't even had time to try finding 'Rick' again. Maybe she would give it one more shot once Eli and Anna were older, or at least sleeping through the night with true regularity. Maybe once she could think again, once things settled even more with her dad, then she'd try one last ti –

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I tried to reach the button, but there was a couch in the way. I swear I didn't mean to shut the doors on yo – _Kate_?"

That voice. She knew that voice. She'd had dreams – unfairly erotic dreams – about that voice for most of her pregnancy. Hell, she _still_ had those dreams in the rare moments when she was able to sleep.

Shit, had she somehow summoned him here just by thinking about him? Doubtful, otherwise where the hell had he been when she was in labor?

"Ri-Rick?" she stammered, her brow furrowing. "What are you doing here?"

"I… live here. I mean, now I live here. My daughter and I are moving in."

Her stomach clenched. His daughter? He hadn't told her he had a daughter. Maybe she was the reason why he'd given Kate a bogus number; no reason to have a one night stand calling when you have a full life at home.

"Oh, well… welcome… to the neighborhood. I need to go…" Her already tired muscles coiled to push the stroller over the elevator threshold, only to have him – Rick –block her path.

"You… had a baby?"

She opened her mouth to reply, to deny it or suggest the kids were a friend's or a sister he didn't need to know was nonexistent, but no sound came out. She'd tried to contact him because she wanted him to know, he'd deserved to know. Even if he… even if nothing came of it, now was her chance to tell him.

"Yeah. Yeah I did. Two, actually," she murmured, moving the stroller canopy back so he could see her son – their son – too.

Rick gawked, confusion and curiosity warring in his eyes.

"Eight months. Twins are usually early," she added, helping him out by confirming it. No reason to make him do mental math.

"I – we –"

The angry buzz of the elevator alarm cut off whatever he might've been trying to say. She could only cringe and hope that the twins managed to sleep through the noise. Anna might be the finicky sleeper of the pair, but if the alarm didn't stop soon, there was no way either of them would remain asleep.

Beckett pressed into the elevator, past her… friend… and smacked the button for her floor, hoping giving it an order would shut the damn thing up. Rick managed to follow her somehow, grabbing the first thing off his waiting pile of stuff and diving back into the car just as the doors closed.

"Two ki – Kate, why didn't you call?"

"Why didn't you give me a number that worked?" she snapped, yanking her eyes away from the incrementing LED panel to stare at him.

At least he wasn't asking the expected first question – if she was sure they were his. It helped not having to swear that their night wasn't just one round in a hoedown full of "grab the nearest dick and do-si-do" for her.

He sputtered. "What? Of course it worked. I haven't changed my number in six years."

Instead of answering, she fished her own cell phone out of the bulging diaper bag, pulling up the contact she'd created for him, sparse though it was.

"Here," she said, pressing the call button to let him hear for himself and thrusting the phone in his direction. Maybe it would connect in the moving tin can.

Bending, she brushed her fingertip over Anna's cheek, willing her agitated child to slip back into slumber.

Even from a foot away, she could hear the familiar "we're sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed," message. But instead of looking smug, or even nonchalant, Rick looked stunned. Like he truly hadn't known he'd given her a bogus phone number.

"I am so, so sorry. I have no idea why –" he paused, eyebrows knotting. "That's not my number."

Kate didn't bother asking him to follow her when the elevator stopped; he was already hot on her heels as she pushed the stroller down the hall, the phone clenched in one hand, dinky box in the other.

"That's the number you left me," she murmured, trying not to sound accusing.

His head shook vigorously. "No, no, that's not my number. Mine ends in 3748, not 3798."

"Well, that's what the napkin said. After a while I figured you'd given me a wrong number because you hadn't wanted to hear from me at all. Let alone for something like this." She was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt because she worked around liars, cheats, and murderers, and Rick was displaying none of those traits. But that didn't mean she would let him off the hook immediately; he'd still given her a wrong number.

"No!" He gaped. "Kate, no. I wanted to see you again, I _really_ wanted to see you again. And when you didn't call I –"

"Dad? Are you talking instead of moving again?"

Rick jumped, spinning to face a lithe, flame-haired girl. She was standing in a doorway two doors down and across from Kate's apartment, tapping her foot expectantly. The girl had Rick's eyes – the same deep, expressive blue eyes the twins had been born with – she had to be his daughter. His other daughter; his _first_ daughter.

"Hey, pumpkin. Yes… no. Not really, no. See, I have a box in my hand."

The girl just sighed and Kate had to purse her lips together to contain her mirth. Well it was clear who called the shots in that house.

"May I _please_ go downstairs and help bring things up? Daddy, you said it was safe. That's why we moved here. But you're so slow and I can't unpack until I have all the boxes."

"Okay, okay, in a second. C'mere first, I want you to meet a friend of mine. I didn't even know she lived her until I accidentally kicked her off the elevator." Rick beckoned, offering a soft "seven going on forty" to Kate.

Seven or not, she found herself squaring her shoulders and fixing her disheveled hair as the girl bounded into her father's side. Good job, Detective Beckett, intimidated by a child.

"Kate, this is Alexis, the world's youngest, smartest taskmaster. Alexis, this is my friend Kate, and…" he trailed off as he remembered he didn't even know his own kids' names.

"Sleepy boy in the back is Eli, and miss squirmy is Anna." She picked up the slack, swallowing hard at the embarrassed melancholy on his face. Focusing on the redhead instead, she smiled. "Nice to meet you, Alexis. I think you'll like it here. It's already a safe building and I'm a cop, so I help make it safer."

"That's so cool."

Alexis's giggle clued her in that the breathy exclamation hadn't come from her, but her father instead. He thought that was cool? Really?

"That's good, because our last place wasn't that safe, and it worried Dad. So after he got his book deal, we decided to move."

Book deal, huh? Her eyes cut to Rick again, finding him watching her. Who even was this guy? And why did that simple look make her stomach flutter so hard?

"It's a long story," he murmured, squeezing his daughter as he answered her unspoken question. "Would you like to come in? I can offer you a couch in the middle of an empty room and some tap water from plastic cups. We could… talk more?"

"I can't – we can't," she denied softly, watching the almost hopeful look fade from his eyes. "We're meeting my dad in a little bit, and I'm already running late. He's probably about to call to find out if everything's okay. But," she paused, sucking in a breath and pushing her hair behind her ears. "Maybe when we get back, we could order a pizza and hang out? My place? I have real glassware and even plates?"

Alexis bobbed between them, agreeing on her father's behalf. "Pizza sounds great, Kate. But oh, now we have to get to work so we'll be done in time. Mush, Daddy."

Rick laughed, almost sounding light again. "Take this box inside, honey, and then we'll both grab more from downstairs." He rubbed his kid's shoulder quickly, making the hand-off when she agreed.

Dutifully, the girl disappeared into their new apartment, leaving two fidgeting adults behind.

"Eli and Anna?"

"Yeah, they uh, it felt right. I didn't know what you might've liked… but they felt right." Licking her lips, she glanced away. She wasn't trying to guilt him, but it was the truth.

He seemed to understand that, thankfully. "They're gorgeous. Both the names and the name owners."

"Thanks," she huffed a small laugh. His awkwardness was cute, really cute. "They're deceptively peaceful right now; just wait until later when they're awa –"

Her father's ring tone cut off the rest of her thought. Yeah, that was his "just checking on you" call.

"Oh, uh, this is yours." Rick handed her phone back, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I've been hogging it."

"No problem… hang on." Dipping her head, she answered the phone.

Her conversation with her father was brief. It turned out that both of them were running late, which meant she could actually indulge in a shower if naptime continued for a little longer. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Rick smiled easily when she turned her attention back to him. "I should let you go. Give you a chance to relax before you have to leave again."

"Yeah," she agreed, almost reluctant to turn away. "I really, really need to wash my hair before they wake up. But we'll get pizza later and we can talk?"

"I'd like that."

She would, too.

"Kay, well uh, why don't you give me your actual number in case knocking on your door doesn't work, and I'll call you when we get home?" She offered him her cell again, watching him fumble to edit his contact with his large thumbs on the tiny flip phone keyboard.

"Yeah! Of course, of course. And I'm… I don't even know what happened, if I was just too tired and my handwriting sucked on that napkin, or what, but I am so, so sorry, Kate."

"Rocked your world so hard you couldn't remember your own phone number, huh?" she murmured, feeling the urge to banish his guilt. It wouldn't change anything, and if they were going to talk, they needed to start actually saying something useful.

He looked up then, eyes wide at the innuendo. Oh, she… he wasn't expecting her to flirt with him was he? Maybe she shouldn't be, but it seemed to pull him out of his head.

"We'll talk about it later," she promised, dragging her teeth over her bottom lip. "And they should be awake then, too. You can meet them for real."

Her phone landed heavily against her palm as they shared an almost-easy smile.

"Sounds great."

"Great," she echoed, fishing her keys out of her pocket. "Then I'll see you later."

"See you," he agreed, stepping back just as Alexis darted across the hall again, declaring it time to bring up another load from downstairs.

His distraction was all she needed to break the spell, to turn around and unlock the door, escaping inside with the stroller before he even looked back. The twins slept on, oblivious to the man they'd just left, oblivious to her pounding heart and spinning head.

How the hell had that just happened?

—

She couldn't decide if 'later' had taken too long to arrive, or if it'd crept up on her too quickly. Her visit with her father went well. He'd brought more presents for the kids, and seemed excited about making plans to go to the cabin for a few days soon. He hadn't even pushed her to think about staying with him again, which was a blessing. She still hated turning him down, even twenty-plus tries later.

The story of her encounter with Rick had been on the tip of her tongue the whole time, but she hadn't told him. It wasn't a good time to bring up the fact that her baby daddy was apparently going to be living down the hall from her. Not that she really thought there would ever be a great time to mention that to her Dad.

Now she was back at home, pacing her apartment under the supervision of her children, contemplating breaking the plans she'd made just a few hours ago. Rick _seemed_ great; he'd seemed great that night in the bar, too, and then she hadn't even known his last name to contact him to tell him he was going to be a father. He even _seemed_ like a good father, but a seven year old was a lot different than an infant, twin infants.

But she'd wanted a chance for months. For herself and for her kids, and now she had it. She had to take it, didn't she? Even if nothing came of it, she had to take the risk.

"I have to call, don't I?" she asked the twins, lips curving with Anna's squeak. "I'm assuming that's a yes, isn't it?"

Eli echoed his sister's noise, rattling his toys with sure hands.

Kate dropped to her knees in front of their bouncers, touching their little fingers gently. They smacked at her hands contentedly, cackling when the motion rocked their bodies.

"I did kind of promise pizza." She sighed, dropping her head. "It would be awful of me to make his daughter fend for herself tonight, wouldn't it?"

The twins giggled again, apparently enjoying her moral dilemma.

"I'm talking about your sister, you know. And Rick's your daddy. Alexis and Rick," she hummed lifting her head to meet twin inquisitive gazes. "Okay, okay, okay. I'll call him. And then I'll call for pizza."

Smiles broke over their faces. Yeah, she understood now. They were relatively indifferent to the concepts of daddy or sister, but pizza? The little pieces she gave them alongside their mushy veggies every once in a while? That they liked.

Wiping a line of drool off her son's chin, Kate stood. Pulling her phone off the table, she considered Rick's entry once more. Had it really been something as simple as one damn number? She still had the napkin somewhere, she would have to find it and see, even if it was just to show him.

"Hello?"

Relief expanded in her belly. Fuck, she'd actually been nervous that her call would end the same way it always had.

"Hey, it's uh, it's Kate. From across the hall? Well, across the hall and down a couple." Well done, Beckett, very smooth. That greeting could've only been better if she'd added "mother of two of your three kids."

"Kate, hey." Warmth spread through her at the relief in _his_ voice. "How um, how'd your afternoon go?"

"Good, I mean, it went pretty well. So I was calling about –"

Twin pairs of teething keys landed at her feet, no doubt a pointed commentary on her fumbling approach to an adult conversation.

"Listen, Kate," Rick interrupted quietly, sounding like he wasn't doing much better than she was. "I understand if you want to postpone or… otherwise take a rain check."

"No! No, no." Well she did, kind of, but she wouldn't. Not with her children, their children, swiping at each other's bouncer toys in amusement, oblivious to the fact that their father was going to be living down the hall from them. Not with the way he'd already pulled her in again, the thing between them crackling with charge just like it had the night they met. "I just… was calling to ask what Alexis likes on her pizza. And what you like, too."

It felt a little inane not to know what the father of her children liked on his pizza. Then again, he didn't know what she liked on hers, either.

He was already talking again, something about eclectic tastes and bringing over coupons if she wanted to wait a few minutes to order.

"I, ah, sure. Yeah, sure. Come over when you're ready?"

"Be there as soon as we're done with this box."

"Kay." Her hand shook a little as she hung up. That could've gone better, but hell, it could've been worse. "Okay, monsters, we need to get you both into clean diapers and maybe dry shirts, too." They'd been drooling so much lately. The book said it was probably teething, but knowing that didn't help her laundry situation.

Changing them together was nearly impossible, but she'd managed to get a system down. One baby stayed in the bouncer while the other was on the changing mat. As soon as they were clean and dry, back into the bouncer they went and her second victim was plucked for the unpleasant task.

She would have to take them out in a few minutes, though, before a little bouncing became a little puking. The last thing she needed was for one of them – Anna – to vomit on Alexis as soon as they met. No, she'd move them to the playpen after she relieved herself and changed her own shirt.

Maybe she'd even have time to restore some semblance of order to the living room before Rick and Alexis walked over.

Hah, fat chance of that. Disorder was the permanent state of the room that functioned as her workspace, a play space, the living space, and most of the time an eating space as well. Fifteen minutes wouldn't change that.

Still, she did her best, clearing the toys from the walkway and dumping them in the designated (and ever observed) play area. It didn't make a big difference, but it helped her feel better.

Thankfully, the twins seemed content to watch her, squeaking at each other around the corners of the soft books her dad had given them. They weren't always fans of being confined to baby jail, so she mentally called it a win on her way to answer the door.

"Hi Kate! Here are the coupons for pizza! Thanks for having us, we have nooo food."

Oh, he'd let Alexis take the lead. That was… maybe smart. She could fake a brave face for the girl.

"Anytime, Alexis," she murmured, stepping back to let both father and daughter enter the apartment. Alexis beamed, eyes locking on the babies.

"Oh, they're so cuuute. Hiii babies. Can I play with them?" She was already on her knees outside the playpen, talking to Eli.

"Have at it," Kate replied needlessly, closing the door behind Rick. "I'll take them out in a second. Baby jail was mostly to keep them out of trouble while I cleaned up and let you in."

Rick chuckled beside her, rubbing his neck. "Baby jail?"

Flushing, she looked at her hands. "Yeah, I uh. They hate it most of the time, and they cry like they're being locked up for life. Kind of like some of the people I've put away. So… baby jail."

He laughed again. "You really are a cop, huh?"

"Yeah, Rick, I really am."

"That is _so_ cool."

Blush stained her cheeks.

"Can I get you anything? A glass of wine? A soda?"

"Water?" he asked, turning soft eyes to her. She could feel him reigning in the urge to go to the kids; he didn't want to overstep, that much was obvious.

"Sure. Make yourselves comfortable. I'll be back."

"Thanks, Kate," he murmured, gaze landing on the twins again.

She had a feeling they wouldn't get much serious talking done with young ears in the room, but for a first evening together, maybe that was okay. Maybe they could keep it light tonight and figure their lives out another time.

It didn't take her long in the kitchen and she returned to find both Rick and Alexis on their knees beside the playpen. Crap, she'd… she should've let him hold his kids first, before she tried to play hostess.

"Here," she offered, lowering the glasses to the coffee table with an ease born of two summers spent waitressing. "Let's get them out of there. Eli, Anna, come see me. I want you to meet our friends."

Getting them out of the playpen from this angle strained her back, but she sucked it up. Kissing her son and then her daughter, she offered them both to their father.

"Rick, this is Eli, and this is Anna."

The babies went to him easily, almost instinctively, but Kate had no idea if it was because they knew he was a dad. or because they knew he was _their_ dad.

"Daddy, they like you."

Rick smiled, but Kate could see the effort it took him. His eyes were damp and she could see his Adam's apple bob heavily as he swallowed his emotions. His chest heaved a little bit before he was able to speak. He'd felt it, she knew. He'd felt that immediate surge of adoration. Instant love.

"And I like them, pumpkin."

Alexis turned to her. "Can I hold them, too?"

Kate smiled quickly, pushing her own feelings away for the time being. "Sure, but first I think you and I should order our dinner. Come help me?" She held out a hand to the girl, ready to give Rick a moment alone with her kids. His kids, too.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his head dip in gratitude, and the low rumble of whatever he might be telling the twins followed her into the kitchen.

—

Somehow, an evening of pizza and introductions turned into a movie night as well. Alexis had been the one to ask, her bright blue eyes turned hopefully on Kate. She'd been unable to do anything but agree. She'd even watched from her open doorway as the girl darted back to her own apartment to grab her pajamas and the DVD while Rick played an endless game of peekaboo with the twins.

Alexis had fallen asleep midway through the movie and the twins weren't far behind her. The white noise helped them relax.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to soothe the two pensive adults on the couch.

Finally, Rick cleared his throat.

"They're gorgeous."

"Thanks," she murmured, ducking her head. "They're a handful, but they've been good for me and I just try to be good for them."

"You are. And you do look happier –" Off her look, he added, "than you did the night we met, I mean."

Exhaling, she couldn't help but agree. They'd met after a really bad week; fighting with her dad about his drinking, fighting with smarmy lawyers who wanted to keep murderers on the streets, fighting with herself about the case she'd finally put away. She'd driven to Atlantic City on a whim, just needing to get out of her head for a little while.

"I am," she agreed, pushing the past away to focus on the warm, snuggly body in her arms. "Though I'll admit, some days are harder than others."

"There are always days like that with kids," he replied sagely, glancing down at the baby in his arms. "Is it just you? No uh, no overprotective cop boyfriend who has it out for me?"

Her laugh startled the child in her arms, but a soft kiss to her brow settled her well enough. "I'm a cop and I have twins. What do you think?"

"Hey, I'm just asking."

"No, no overprotective, burly cop boyfriend waiting to kick your ass, Rick. It's just me and my dad. My mom… died. Anna's named after her in a way."

Rick's nod was thoughtful. "It's a beautiful name. I didn't know her, of course, but I think your mom would be proud."

"Thanks," she repeated. She'd heard that before, but from Rick it didn't feel like an empty platitude.

Taking a moment, she watched him slide his thumb over Eli's fingers. Sometimes it still blew her away how small they were.

"So," she hummed, getting his attention again. "Book deal? Are you a writer or something?" It was her turn to learn about him.

He chuckled. "Or something. I um, that morning in Atlantic City, I had to meet a guy to ask him questions for book research. I wrote a book about a year before you and I met, but it was … kind of a flop. When I decided to try again, I wanted to make it authentic, so I found a guy who would talk to me. That was why I had to leave that morning. With his help, and a lot of help from a few others, I finished the book and found a publisher who was willing to take the chance on me."

Well, huh. That explained a lot about him, actually. A lot about the way he'd observed people – her – and the way he'd been able to figure out what made her tick so quickly.

"What was your first one?"

"Hmm?"

"Your first book, tell me about it?"

She listened thoughtfully, watching the line of his jaw as he spoke. There was just something about the way his mouth formed his words, the way he crafted the story.

"Can I read it?" she asked when his voice petered out.

"You want to?" He looked almost speechless, shifting Eli against his chest. The baby sighed, relaxing into his father even further.

"Sure. It can't be _that_ terrible can it?" she teased, canting toward him a little bit.

Rick laughed. "Depends which critic you ask."

Her stomach lurched. He needed to stop that, stop laughing that dry, sexy chuckle. Dipping her head, she released a breath.

"Well, I'd like to read it, both of them. If I can."

"Sure. Sure, Kate. I'll bring you a copy of the first one tomorrow. I can bring my rough draft of the second book over if you want to read that, otherwise it'll have to wait until my editor gets it back to me."

"I can wait," she promised, watching his cheeks darken with embarrassed delight. "I'm not sure how long it'll take me to even read one. I don't exactly get a lot of time to sit and hold a book…"

"I remember that from when Alexis was little."

"Is it just you?" she asked, echoing his words from earlier. "Just you and Alexis?"

"Pretty much. Just me, Alexis, and my flighty, slightly crazy mother."

"What about her mom?" She nodded in his daughter's direction.

"My ex lives in Malibu. She doesn't visit very often."

"Oh." So they're both doing this on their own, aren't they?

The silence that settled between them was surprisingly comfortable, but Rick only lasted a few minutes before he broke it.

"Kate," he started, shifting Eli onto his shoulder. Her body oriented toward him as soon as he twisted to face her, pulled in easily. "Would you go out with me?"

It was probably the last thing she'd expected to hear, but somehow she managed not to gawk too badly.

"You… want to?"

"I wanted to over a year ago. I wanted to as soon as I saw it was you downstairs."

Her cheeks flushed at his admission. "You know I'm not trying to force you into anything, right? I just wanted you to know about them."

Reaching out, she brushed her fingers over Eli's foot just to see his little toes curl against Rick's arm. Her companion smiled easily, doing the same for Anna.

"I know, Kate. But I want to know them, and I want to know _you_."

God, he'd said something similar that night, hadn't he? As he pressed her against the door to her hotel room, mouth forging a devastating path down her neck and his hips rolling against hers. He'd wanted to know her, wanted to know what made her moan and beg, wanted to know what made her cry out. He'd wanted her.

Clearing her throat and willing the rush of arousal away, she nodded. "Why don't we start with dinner, then, and we can go from there?"

Their eyes met again, his earnest and hopeful, hers no doubt dark with her memories. They both smiled at what they saw.

"I'd like that," he promised.

"Good. I'll um, I'll ask my dad if he can babysit. I can ask if he can watch Alexis, too, if you'd like."

"That'd be great. My mother's in the process of opening another play, so I have no idea how much time she'll have."

"Great. I'll do that then."

"Great."

His eagerness only made her smile widen. "Great. And in the meantime, I think we skipped a step or two." She stuck out her hand, fingers wiggling in the space between them. "Kate Beckett, nice to meet you."

His broad fingers curled around hers, his grip firm but not painful, not limiting.

"Rick Castle. The pleasure is all mine."

* * *

 _A/N: nikkibeckettcsm is trying incredibly hard to convince me to continue this, so while I'm marking this as complete for now, don't be surprised if you see more from these two again. :) - Now being continued! ;)_

 _ **Prompt** : Totally AU CASTLE | They a one night stand all those years ago, she got pregnant and didn't tell him (from some reason), now she moved into his building what the hell is she going to do? (she didn't know when she moved there) {C/B ,happy ending please, she kept the babies, she had twins}_


	2. Chapter 2

_I'm not sure words can properly describe how amazed and grateful I am to everyone for reading and encouraging me to continue this story. After thinking on it, I decided I absolutely wanted to continue, and I wanted to make this one of my Castle 2015 Hiatus Ficathon stories. I hope you'll all enjoy it._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Two**

* * *

Four days.

That was how long she lasted before calling her father and asking him for what felt like the most awkward favor of her life, including asking him to be in the delivery room with her when his grandchildren were born. She'd considered calling sooner, but she thought it might be better to give Rick and Alexis at least a day to get settled into their new place. Then she'd caught a case and had barely had time to think, let alone plan something. She'd even wondered if being busy hadn't been some sort of a sign.

Until she'd passed her new neighbor in the hall that morning and he'd asked if she was free on Friday. He was as eager as she was, it seemed. So all that was left was finding out if her father would be willing to watch the kids. If not, she would ask Lanie. Her friend was always vying for a chance to see the babies; provided Friday wasn't also date night for her, she was a sure thing.

Wiping damp palms on her slacks, Kate dialed quickly. She needed to calm down; people needed babysitters so they could go on dates all the time. She might not always be one of them – okay, she was never one of them – but that shouldn't matter. And it shouldn't be a big deal for her to be asking now.

Admittedly, yes, it _was_ kind of a big deal because the date was with the father of her children. And yes, it was kind of a big deal because he already had a daughter Kate was asking her father to watch as well. But she'd faced worse; a simple phone call didn't need to be so terrifying.

No, it totally did. Just like sitting beside Rick at dinner the other night was enough to make her heart palpitate, it was okay to be nervous. Figuring out this part of her life was _nerve-wracking_.

"Katie, hey."

"Hey, Dad," she greeted. "How's work so far?" Good, Kate. Starting with pleasantries was good.

"Good. I just finished working on another brief."

She was glad to hear that. Her father had sloughed through his job for years after her mother died, going to work each day in an attempt to simulate normalcy while he lost himself in a bottle each night. When he'd finally made the decision to get help, he had taken an extended leave, only to come back to a vastly different position. It was beyond good to hear that he was enjoying work again.

"Yeah? They liked your other one, huh?"

Her father chuckled. "They did. How are you, sweetheart? How were the babies this morning?"

Laughing softly, Kate ran a hand through her hair. Maybe she could cut it before Friday, just to freshen herself up a little bit. "They were fine. We were late because Anna wanted to throw her cereal instead of eat it, and Eli thought it would make a good conditioner for his hair."

Jim laughed again, reminding Kate so much of when she was growing up. Her parents always laughed, always loved.

She wanted to give her kids that. Laughter, love, light.

"I can't wait to see that. Maybe you can come over this weekend? If you're not working, of course."

"Ah," she hummed. "I'm on shift on Sunday and on-call on Saturday. But I was actually calling to ask if you'd be free to babysit on Friday night?"

Maybe that would make up for turning him down. He wouldn't get to see her for very long, but he'd get to see the twins.

"Friday night? Of course. If you want, I can pick them up after work and take them home with me."

Kate bit her lip quickly. "Well… actually, I have another favor to ask."

"Anything, Katie."

"I know the twins are a handful already, but could you watch someone else, too?" She felt her words come out faster, even though she'd given next to nothing away.

"Someone else?" he father echoed, obviously confused.

"Umm," she sighed, dropping her head into her hand. It was better to just explain, wasn't it? "I have a date… and he has a daughter."

Her father was silent, processing her news, and she couldn't help but hope it didn't involve him formulating some sort of cross-examination.

"She's seven," she continued quickly. "She's super sweet. Alexis, her name's Alexis. And oh, she loves the twins. So she'll… I mean she can help. If that's okay?"

Jim cleared his throat. "You're… Katie, of course. So I'll come to your place instead?"

"Do you mind? It would just be so much easier with three of them. Especially since Alexis and her father live in the building."

"I don't mind. Just tell me when to be there. I assume this is okay with –"

"Rick," she supplied quietly, glancing around to make sure the boys weren't listening in, too. The last thing she needed was to be grilled by them, too. "Rick's his name. And he's okay with it as long as you are."

"Well then, it's settled. Just get me the details and I'll handle the seven year old and the twins."

Famous last words, but in that case… "Thank you, Dad. And we'll figure out a visit for a full weekend when I'm not working, okay?" she added in promise.

"Anytime, honey. I mean that."

He did, she knew. Things had been rough for a long time, but he would do anything for her and for the twins.

"And not just because I want to hear more about this 'Rick' fellow," he teased, breaking into her thoughts before they could turn too serious.

" _Dad_."

"Oh don't worry, I won't embarrass you. I'll just ask Alexis for all the gossip while you're gone."

"You're really not funny," she groaned, shaking her head.

"I'm a little funny, Katie. Now go back to work so you can get home faster."

Right. Working. She needed to earn her paycheck, even if it was a paperwork day while she waited for her next call.

"You're really not," she argued cheekily. "But I'll call you with more details once I confirm with Rick."

"Sure. See you soon."

"See you," she echoed, hanging up carefully. Her exhale of relief echoed through the quiet bullpen, earning her a look from the boys, but no questions.

That went far more smoothly than she'd been expecting. Of course, telling him about a _date_ was a lot different than telling her father exactly who the date was with, but she would take the win and carry it with her for a little while.

In the meantime, she would think of _how_ to tell him.

Wasn't it all dependent on where things went with Rick anyway? So far, they'd had one night together, a handful of hours where they were connecting, and then another handful of hours where words weren't needed. Sexual chemistry was great, but once the allure faded away, what would they have? A relationship? A love story? A custody agreement for their two kids and a cordial, across-the-hall relationship? How would she explain that to her father and her friends?

Her cell phone buzzed against her thigh, keeping her from giving in to her melancholy spiral. It was Lanie with news that might help break an older case.

Kate opted to go on her own, leaving Ryan and Espo to finish their reports and catch the next case to come in. She knew she'd probably end up talking more about her date than the case, but it was preferable to sitting with her own thoughts right now.

And it really was better than paperwork.

* * *

Visiting Lanie turned out to be a good idea. Her friend had not only given her a pep talk about her love life, she'd also given her the evidence she needed to get a warrant and make an arrest in a case that had been sitting for months. She would be able to tell the victim's family that their son's murderer had been caught and was going to prison for a long time. That felt good. Very good.

It felt even better knowing she would be serving said warrant in the morning, thanks to a phone call she'd made on her way back to the precinct. In reward – though he insisted it was so she would be rested for the morning – Montgomery shooed her out at exactly five to go pick up the twins.

As soon as she stepped foot in the daycare nursery, she found herself on the receiving end of two eager baby smiles. According to their teacher, they'd been fussy again at lunch, barely eating their green beans, but they made up for it at snack by devouring their fruit and yogurt.

She mulled it over on the walk home. She rotated between a couple of veggies every few days, but maybe they needed something new? She got bored eating the same three or four things all the time, why couldn't they?

Maybe she should ask Rick. He would know if it was worth it to try changing up their menu a little more. Plus, that would give them at least one topic of conversation. Not that she was worried, but it helped knowing she had something to fall back on if necessary.

"What do you guys think?" she asked aloud, looking down at the stroller as they stopped for a red light. "Should we ask Rick what he fed Alexis? Or should we try to figure out what to do about your food on our own?"

Their giggles were noncommittal, but she didn't mind. They seemed happy enough to gum on a set of squishy teething rings she'd produced from their bag and babble to each other instead of talking to her.

Twins were _hard_. Double the belly, double the diapers, double the work on even less sleep, but it made her feel better knowing they would never be lonely. They had each other to explore with, and they would grow and learn from each other. As an only child, Kate had been good at being on her own, but she had to think part of why Eli and Anna had thrived amidst her fumbling was because they had each other.

"Well in that case," she murmured, answering her own question as she maneuvered the stroller around the last corner to their apartment. "We'll do what we can until Friday and I'll ask him then."

"Ooh, Friday? Are you talking about me? Ask me what?"

Jumping, Kate looked up to find the subject of her one-sided conversation grinning at her from the doorway of their building.

"Scare you? Sorry about that." Rick leaned over, brushing a knuckle down his son's cheek first and then his daughter's. Both kids looked up, drool cascading down their chins as they grinned. Yeah, it had to be teething. Maybe that was part of their pickiness, too.

"No, no, you're fine. Just caught up in my thoughts." She smiled quickly, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "You look like you're on your way out?"

"Ah, yeah. Picking Alexis up from soccer." He smiled back, the proud papa grin, and she couldn't help but grin back. "She's playing center midfield this week. She loves it."

"Oh, I bet. I always loved left wing myself," she said, rolling the stroller forward and back gently. The twins had started to squirm, but she wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to Rick, not until he had to go.

"You played soccer?"

Her cheeks flushed. He looked so interested in what was arguably an inconsequential story from when she was eight.

"For about two years, yeah. And then I hit a growth spurt and started tripping over my own feet every time I tried to run. It wasn't pretty."

Rick laughed, leaning over to tickle Eli's neck. "But I bet you were adorable."

"Oh yeah. Braces, limbs that were too long, stringy hair; totally adorable."

He grinned again, making her insides flutter. Pulling her lip between her teeth, she shook her head in disbelief.

"Adorable, I mean it."

"Yeah, tell your daughters that when they're too tall for their own good."

It was a simple quip, dry and a little assuming about his ex's height, but awe flooded his face instead of amusement.

"Daughters," he echoed thoughtfully, running a careful hand over Anna's hair. Their daughter looked up squawking what Kate assumed was a hello. "Hi squeaker. You're not going to hate us when you're tall like Mommy, are you?"

Kate laughed, watching four little arms push in their father's direction. They wanted out. Now.

"I better get them inside…"

She didn't even have the opportunity to finish her thought before Rick lifted them out of the stroller, his face bright and eager to have them in his arms.

"I'll take them up with you. I have plenty of time."

Nodding dumbly, she steered around him and to the elevator. "Thanks." It felt silly thanking a father for spending time with his children, but still the words tumbled out.

Rick nodded easily, swaying with the kids. "So, Friday?"

Right. Friday. The entire reason he'd known she was talking about him.

"My dad said we're on. If you're still on, that is…"

"Mhmm, m'stiw ob –"

Looking over at him, she couldn't help but cackle. Anna had taken advantage of Rick's distraction to push her teether into his mouth, and without free hands, he was pretty much stuck like that.

Taking pity on him, she stepped up and lowered the plastic from his mouth.

"I think you were being given a hint, Mr. Castle," she teased, kissing Anna's hand quickly. "That's for you, not for your – not for Rick."

Both kids giggled around their teething rings.

Rick cleared his throat quietly, reminding her what she'd just said, or almost said.

"They can call me that if you want them to."

"Daddy?" Her eyes lifted to his, finding nothing but sincerity in their depths.

"Yeah," he breathed, kissing Eli's head gently. "I want to be their dad, Kate."

The pledge was sweet, so sweet it knocked the wind out of her.

"I know, Rick. I just… you don't think it'll be confusing?"

Her words held wisdom, but she watched his shoulders sink as they stepped onto the elevator together. She rocked the stroller into one corner, leaning her hip against the handle to study him.

"At the very least, shouldn't your daughter find out she's a big sister in a way that isn't overhearing one of us call you their daddy?"

Rick nodded thoughtfully, pressing a kiss to Anna's head. The baby sighed, leaning into him.

"Yeah she should."

"Right. Because it's not fair to spring this on her, and I absolutely know you don't want have to explain the consequences of birth control failures to a seven year old without being prepared for the conversation."

He looked almost horrified at that thought. "No," he winced, bouncing Eli gently when he whined. "No, not particularly."

"Yeah," she agreed, rubbing Anna's back. She wanted Rick's attention all to herself and she was willing to swat at her father to get it. "Gentle, Anna, gentle."

"It's going to be one hell of a birth announcement, either way," Rick added, following her off the elevator as soon as the doors slid open.

That made her laugh. "Yes, it will be. So let's just… go easy for now? I'm not saying no titles, just that we should be careful until we're ready to tell people."

He hummed in agreement. "I can go easy, I suppose. As soon as we get inside, I'll call the Ledger and cancel my ad."

"Cute." She smirked over her shoulder, fishing her keys out of her bag.

"I am pretty cute, yes. But, hey?"

She stopped, key already in the lock. "Hmm?"

"It's gonna be great," he promised, his chest puffed with pride.

Anything he might've added was lost underneath gobbling noises and a chorus of delighted squeals. Who would've thought the quiet, sexy man she'd met at the bar would be this guy, this doting, devoted dad who pretended to eat tiny fingers when they were being shoving against his lips in the middle of a serious conversation.

"What is?" she asked once they'd settled, unlocking the door and letting him go ahead of her. He stopped in the middle of the room, looking around quickly.

"This, Kate. All of it," he answered, kissing the twins gently before easing them into their bouncers.

They went to town immediately, slapping their hands against the attached toys.

Kate turned to face him, shutting the closet door on the stroller. It was a tight fit, but it would work.

"Yeah," he continued, stepping closer, "it's weird now, but it'll be great."

His optimism warmed her. It made her want to toss her caution aside and jump in the same way she'd jumped that night.

"You really think so?" she asked, wringing her hands gently.

His fingers closed around hers, tugging her forward. "I know so."

She didn't have his confidence, but she nodded anyway, letting her excitement take the lead once more. She could be excited to have a chance for something amazing with him, even if she was terrified.

"Kay," she smiled softly. "I trus –"

The quiet beep of his watch kept her from finishing her sentence.

"Oh, that's… I should probably go. That's my 'move or you'll be late' alarm. I set it for when I'm writing…" he trailed off, offering her a sheepish, adorable smile.

"Go on, Rick, go. Don't be late to get Alexis."

"Kay," he agreed, squeezing her hands. "See you later? Oh!" He'd almost exited the apartment when his second question bubbled from his lips. "What are you doing for dinner?"

"I, um, just some pasta thing."

Rick brightened. "Us, too. Well, leftover pasta, but pasta. We can share?"

Smiling softly, she nudged him out. "Go get Alexis."

He bounded down the hall, checking his watch again. "Was that a no?"

"Bring me your book and it'll be a 'we'll see,' Castle," she called to his back, leaning into the doorframe and watching him disappear into the elevator.

"Ooh, Castle. I like it. And deal, you got i–" The doors closed on his last word, making her chuckle.

Turning back to her kids, Beckett shook her head. "Your daddy is something, isn't he?"

Kneeling beside them, she brushed their cheeks. "But he loves you so much, so we can forgive his craziness, I think."

They grinned, bouncing furiously.

"Yeah, I think we'll see him and your sister soon, too."

* * *

Exactly fifty-five minutes later, Rick and Alexis knocked on her door. She'd been trying to feed the twins, but the distraction was welcome. They'd only taken a few bites between them and she'd been trying to convince them for over twenty minutes.

"Hey," she greeted, opening the door and stepping back. "How was soccer, Alexis?"

"Good! I think that's my new favorite position. It's just so awesome."

Kate smiled, nodding at the girl's eagerness. Seven really was an exciting time.

"Will you and Eli and Anna come to one of my games? They're not long, and they're in the park right by the _best_ ice cream cart in the world. Do the babies eat ice cream? If they don't that's okay, you and Daddy can still have ice cream…"

She opened her mouth to respond, but it was drowned out by the sound of little palms clobbering at their high chair trays. Sure, they acted hungry until she put their dinner in front of them.

"I, ah, come on. I need to get the rest of these carrots into them." She smiled, gesturing for them to follow her. "And we can try to come to one of your games, Alexis. Just have your dad send me the schedule and we'll pick one that works."

The girl beamed, looking back at her father in a gesture that smacked of an 'I told you so,' before she skipped across Kate's living room and into the kitchen to greet the twins.

Before Beckett could join them, Rick's hand curled around her elbow, his mouth lowering to brush her ear. "Hey, you don't have to if you don't want to. I know pee wee soccer isn't exactly riveting, I just told her she needed to ask you before she committed you to it."

"I know," she hummed, tugging at the vee of his sweater gently. "But there are worse things I could be doing with my time than sitting in a park with my kids." Her teeth grazed her lip quickly, thinking about the warrant she would be serving in the morning.

When she was home, she didn't want to dwell on murders or the terrible things people tried to get away with doing to each other, she wanted joy. She wanted to dodge handfuls of mashed veggies as her children laughed and relax on a blanket in the park with them. It was a damn good way to spend an afternoon.

"Just tell me when her games are and I'll try to be there," she added resolutely.

Rick's face morphed into something resembling relief and she couldn't help but slide her hand up his chest to cup the back of his neck. It seemed like maybe he needed that type of joy sometimes, too.

"Kay, done."

Beckett smiled, squeezing his neck gently. "Good. Now to get the twins to eat these _delicious_ carrots."

She rounded the corner, finding Alexis conducting a high chair symphony with Eli and Anna. At least they were having fun.

"They don't look delicious, Kate," Alexis informed her as she dragged the spoons through the orange-brown mush and prepared for the dodging to start.

"Shh, we're pretending," she spoke out of the corner of her mouth, feeling a zing of warmth travel up her spine with Rick's chuckle. "Aren't we, peanuts? Pretending this tastes way better than it does, because you can't eat _just_ tiny bits of turkey every day."

The twins, of course, looked about as enticed by her pitch as she'd expected. Damn, that meant she had to dance, didn't it?

"Don't look," she warned her companions, glancing sideways to see Rick studying her.

"What?" he asked, lips twisted upwards. "Why?"

"Just… see this is what they do unless I…"

"Unless you what, Kate?" he teased quietly, leaning against the counter.

Sighing, she faced him fully, spoons dangling precariously between them. "Unless I dance, okay?"

Rick pressed his lips together, smothering his grin when her eyes narrowed. "So dance. Who am I to judge?" He tried for innocent, but mostly he looked adorable and sexy.

"Daddy dances all the time," Alexis added helpfully. Oh, there was some dirt. "Don't let him fool you."

His cheeks darkened, which only served to make him look cuter.

"In that case, Daddy, maybe you should take care of the dance-feeding," she hummed, offering him the spoon and daring him to call her bluff.

"Maybe I should." His eyebrows lifted. "But I forgot to bring your book, so I'm gonna just… duck over and get it."

"Uh huh." Her eyes dragged from his face, down the broad expanse of his chest, and over his jeans to hit his feet. "Bring your dancing shoes when you come back; we'll save you a few scoops so you can show us your moves."

Beside her, Alexis giggled. "Can I feed them?"

"Sure," she murmured, taking a chance and eyeing Rick once more as he left the kitchen. He was flushed, flustered, but so undeniably hot. "You can try Miss Anna, how's that?" she added, focusing on the younger Castle once more.

Alexis grinned, taking her spoon and brandishing it like a wand. "Fabulous, darling. S'what Gram always says."

"It is, huh? What's your gram like?"

Alexis beamed, telling her a story of another redhead who was bright and exciting, always ready with a fun story, and who loved to drive Daddy a little bit crazy.

"She comes over all the time, Kate, and Daddy never knows when she'll be here. And she's a great actress, and oh… remind me to remind Daddy 'bout tickets to her new show."

Kate laughed softly, wiggling her way to Eli. "I will. So Gram is pretty easy-going?"

Alexis chuckled, low and knowing. "Oh yeah. Everything's an adventure with Daddy and Gram."

Well that was…good. At least Kate thought that was good. Maybe introducing Martha Rodgers to her grandchildren wouldn't be as difficult as she'd imagined.

She smiled down at Alexis. "Adventures are good."

"Oh yeah. But they're exhausting, too."

Kate had to give her that.

Rick returned a few minutes later, murmuring he'd locked the door behind him as he took up residence behind her once more.

"Thanks," she offered, sparing him just a quick glance. She was finally getting food into her son's mouth; she wouldn't jinx it by changing her dance.

After a few minutes, Eli's elated squeal clued her in that Rick had to be doing something other than simply observing. She was a goofy dancer, but she wasn't goofy enough to receive a laugh that large.

Spinning, she managed to catch him off guard, sending him careening backward with a startled squawk. She reached for him immediately, catching his sleeve first and then his elbow.

"Whoa, whoa, easy twinkle toes. You don't want to end up in the ER tonight."

Rick smiled sheepishly, righting himself with a large hand on her shoulder. Two of his fingers slipped between the collar of her oversized t-shirt and her skin, stealing her breath for a split second before they retreated to safer territory.

"Thanks."

"Uh huh. That's what you get for mocking my carrot dance in front of everyone."

He lifted impossibly tender eyes to hers, slipping his thumb against her shirt once more. "Your carrot dance? You named it?"

"Yes, Rick 'he who dances to show tunes on his own time' Castle, Alexis and I named this one the carrot dance."

His chuckle spread a gentle warmth through her belly. "Okay then," he said, dropping a hardback book on the counter well out of carrot firing range before he stepped beside her. "Show me the carrot dance. I officially want in."

* * *

She'd expected Rick and Alexis to head home once the twins finally relented and polished off their carrots, but they stayed, helping her get the babies cleaned up and settled with bottles. After that, she'd been instructed to sit with the twins while they took care of everything in the kitchen.

"I can help, you know," she called, feeling rude for making them wait on her in her own home.

"Relax, Kate. It's pasta two ways, we got it," Rick answered easily, rumbling a set of instructions to his flame-haired lieutenant. A few seconds later, Alexis appeared at her side with a glass of wine.

"Daddy says you need to let your hair down. But I'm pretty sure he's just using a figure of speech, 'cause your hair's already down. So have some wine instead."

Kate laughed, accepting the glass carefully. Anna's foot had been jabbing at her thigh for the last ten minutes; the last thing she wanted was to spill red wine on her child.

"Thank you, Alexis. And thank you, Daddy," she added, the moniker springing from her lips again. She'd said it earlier, too. As a tease, but she'd said it.

From her vantage point, she saw Rick's smile deepen, gentle lines of happiness spreading from his eyes to his lips.

God, she hoped he was right and that when the weirdness finally dissipated they would be great. Better than great, even. Extraordinary.

They could be extraordinary.

Alexis giggled, shaking her out of her thoughts. She watched the girl rub noses with her sister and then her brother.

"Aren't you sleepy, babies?"

Impulsively, Kate brushed a hand over Alexis's hair. "Oh, they are, but they don't want to miss the action around here. Do you, Eli?"

Her son's eyes darted to her, the bottle falling to the side of his mouth as he grinned.

"Yes," Kate teased, righting the bottle for him. Eli gripped it immediately. They were both so independent now; other than during their early morning feedings, holding the bottle was their job and theirs alone. "Mommy eating noodles and doing paperwork is _very_ exciting."

"Mommy doing anything is very exciting," Rick added from the kitchen, eyes fixed on her as he stirred the pasta. Kate felt the blush start at her chest and sweep up her neck. "In fact, I'm still awaiting all of your awesome cop stories."

Beckett snorted, curling her arm around Anna's pillow. "Maybe I'll tell you one on Friday."

That made him grin. "Yeah?"

"Mhmm," she hummed, watching him carry three dishes out of the kitchen. Without knowing what he'd already told his daughter about their plans, she was mindful of dropping too much on her at once.

Alexis looked up curiously. "What's Friday?"

Well that answered that question. Rick had told her nothing so far.

Rick settled on the floor beside the coffee table, slinging an arm around his daughter's slim hips.

"Kate and I are going on a date," he explained, passing forks to everyone. Kate couldn't help but dig in; she'd eaten yogurt at lunch and she was starving.

Alexis grinned, gobbling her first bite before replying, "Really? Cool! S'Katrina coming over, Daddy?"

Ahh, crap. Alexis already had a babysitter she liked.

"Actually…" Rick began, meeting her eyes. Oh, he wanted her to explain.

"I asked my dad to watch the twins, Alexis, and since you guys live so close, I asked if he felt cool enough to stay with you, too," she jumped in, fumbling for the right words to keep Alexis from feeling like an afterthought. "He likes sports and movies, so I thought you two might get along."

"Does he like High School Musical?"

There was no malice behind the question, but Kate still looked to Rick for help. She had no idea what that was, which meant there was no way her father would know anything about it. Rick shook his head indulgently, letting her know it was okay.

"I … you know I actually don't know? But I bet if he's never seen it, he'll be okay with you introducing him to it. How does that sound?"

That seemed to be good enough for the girl; moments after agreeing that all was okay, she was devouring her pasta in silence.

Well, that could've been worse. Another victory in the books.

The majority of their dinner passed quietly, as food seemed to be more important than conversation. It was a contented kind of silence, though, relaxing. Relaxing enough to send the little ones into dreamland and allow Kate to begin to drift off along with them.

Through her haze, she heard Rick and Alexis whispering, planning, before the air around her stirred with their cleanup efforts. Rick's warm hand coaxed her into relinquishing her plate, and the quiet rush from the sink told her they were doing the dishes for her.

Her mumbled order to leave the mess until morning went unheeded and she dozed again to the sounds of life around her.

Sometime later, soft fingers slid over her cheek, causing her eyes to fly open. Rick smiled down at her, his thumb making slow, careful circles against her skin.

"Kate, I'm… can I put the twins to bed?"

"Mmm, wha? Oh yeah, yeah," she agreed, feeling her brain catch up slowly. She waved an arm toward the hall and the cheerful, yellow nursery. "Thanks."

Blinking sleep out of her eyes, she watched him scoop Anna up first, cradling her carefully, reverently. The little girl squirmed, but an inaudible word had her settling deeper into her father's arms.

Rick's eyes slipped shut, too, just for a moment before he carried his baby daughter out of the room. He looked back at them quickly, and Kate ducked her head against the wave of pure, raw emotion he sent her way.

Fuck. It was the first time he was putting his kids to bed.

That split her chest wide open.

When he returned for Eli, she reached out, slipping her hand up his arm. His eyes were bright, hopeful that she wasn't going to take this from him, but she simply reminded him to take his time.

"He might need to be rocked," she explained, hiding a yawn in her hand. "Last night he was kind of clingy."

Rick nodded, easing Eli off of his pillow and into his arms. "Then I will rock him. And maybe put them together? Is that safe to do?"

"Yeah," she hummed, smiling affectionately. He might be a dad already, but twins were a different learning curve. "As long as they don't seem too restless, it's safe. We don't want them to roll onto each other."

His lips slid against Eli's hair. "You won't roll onto your sister, will you? Or let your sister roll onto you. I bet you just like being close. Close to your mom, close to Anna, close to me and 'Lexis, too?"

The low rumble of his voice carried down the hall, filling her with gratitude. He could've been angry – hell, he _should've_ been angry – but he'd jumped in with both feet, loving instead.

Beside her, Alexis smiled, pushing her bright hair out of her eyes. Over the course of the night, her ponytail had fallen, leaving a gentle mess in its wake.

"Daddy really likes the twins, Kate."

"Yeah?" She stretched a little, waking up enough to be a good host. "What about you?"

The girl giggled almost impishly. "I like them, too. And Anna loves me, I think."

Anna had taken a shine to her sister at their first meeting, but it had been solidified after Alexis did the carrot dance for her earlier. Eli was still warming up, so maybe next time she would put him on the receiving end of Alexis's charm. And there was always Friday, too.

"They both love you," Kate assured quietly, rubbing the girl's shoulder. "It's just hard for babies to say that."

"They talk a little," Alexis pointed out, leaning into her. "But I love you is pretty hard," she agreed.

Kate nodded slowly, pulling her in closer. She'd never spent much time around kids, not even after finding out she was going to have her own, but Alexis made it easy.

The girl giggled at something she must've missed, hiding her face in Kate's arm.

"Daddy likes you, too. He likes you a _lot_."

"Does he?" Her heart stuttered in her chest.

"Uh huh. He really, really, really likes you."

Oh, that was a lot of reallys. More reallys than she would've expected after less than a week. Give or take a year.

"I like him, too," she confessed, dipping her head in case Rick could hear. Not because she didn't want him to know – she did – but she wanted it to come in private, and maybe after they'd had a proper date.

"Do you really like him?"

"Mhmm," she agreed, rubbing the girl's arm gently.

"Really, _really_ like him?"

She exhaled, fighting the urge to hide her face. " _Yesss_."

Alexis broke out in a grin. "Good to know."

Kate poked her side, prompting a tiny squeal. "Good to know, huh? How good to know?"

She tickled her harder, delighting in the way the child's face lit up at the attention. She'd been focused on Rick, on what a relationship with him might look like for herself and the twins, but she needed to remember the little girl at her side, too.

" _Really_ good to know!" Alexis cackled, hiding her face in Beckett's arm again.

Yeah, she was sensing a theme.

Their giggles had just begun to subside when Rick tiptoed back in. Beckett smiled softly, recognizing the look in his eyes. She got like that, too; some nights she would just stand there, watch the way their tiny fists curled, the way their lips smacked around imaginary bottles, even the gentle lift and fall of their chests.

"They're good. I put them head to foot in Anna's crib, and put the elephants at either end."

"Thanks." She squeezed Alexis gently. He was a good dad to them already. Such a good dad.

Rick perched on the arm of the couch, leaning over to tickle his oldest daughter's neck. She scrunched adorably closer to Kate. "We should head home, pumpkin. You need a bath –"

"Dad, I'm not a baby." Alexis's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. It felt like a discussion that had come up before, especially based on the way Rick nodded and backtracked.

"A shower, then. But you need one, and the lovely Detective Beckett here needs to go to bed. I assume she needs to be up early?"

Kate nodded reluctantly. "Yeah I do. I'm serving a warrant tomorrow. I'm sorry for falling asleep on you, but I'm glad you came over."

She stood, stretching her arms over her head to work out the kinks in her back. She could feel Rick's appreciative one-over, but she did her best to ignore it for now. Just for now. Just until they got their bearings.

"No problem," he cleared his throat quickly. "Next time you'll have to come over to our place and see the sweet TV set up we have."

Alexis grinned, popping off the couch, too. "It's pretty sweet, Kate," she echoed.

Kate's tongue poked between her teeth as she smiled. "We'll come over soon, then."

"Great," Rick murmured, brushing careful fingertips along her spine on his way to the door. She shivered, offering him a long look from under her lashes. She needed to sleep tonight; being kept awake by the phantom press of his hands on her body wouldn't help.

"Behave," she ordered firmly, pressing her hand against his chest and rising to her toes to kiss his cheek. His heart thudded heavily under her palm, telling her he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to be.

"Behaving," he agreed, swiping his mouth across her cheekbone. "Until tomorrow, Kate."

A smile pulled at her lips. "Night, guys." She waved, watching father and daughter make the short trek down the hall for the evening, leaving her to the quiet of her apartment once more.

Her cheek tingled until morning, though.

* * *

 _A/N: Once again, an incredible thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, and gave the first chapter of this story a chance. I never, ever in a million years expected the response that I received, and I'm just crossing my fingers that the rest of the journey can live up to expectations._


	3. Chapter 3

_I can't say it enough, but thank you to each and every single one of you for giving this story a chance. I've been extremely lax in replying to reviews, but I just want to tell you all how much they mean to me. Thank you so much._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Three**

* * *

"Kay, pumpkin, what do you think of this one?"

His daughter giggled into her hand, shaking her head rapidly.

"Bleh, Daddy. You don't want to wear bright orange. It's not a Halloween party. It's April."

Well, that was true. And come to think of it, there were jack 'o lanterns embossed on the tie. Definite no.

"No orange it is. Good call, daughter." Rick tossed the tie onto the bed, watching it flutter to a landing beside his eight previous attempts. "What color do you think I should wear?"

Alexis studied him, her gaze too wise for her years. She didn't even crack when he puffed his cheeks out and crossed his eyes to make her laugh.

"Purple. Purple's good. It'll look good with everything, the magazines say so. Mom told me when we talked last week."

Retreating into his closet, he couldn't help but chuckle. Only Meredith would teach her that. He'd long-since given up trying to make sense of his ex. She could go without seeing Alexis for months on end, but then when she spoke to her, it was like they were old friends and no time had passed at all. Most of the time he accepted the odd relationship Meredith and Alexis had, but his introduction to the twins had honestly made him wonder once more. He'd only met the babies a week and a half ago and after two days of not seeing them, he missed them fiercely.

He never wanted to go months again.

"The magazines say so, huh?" he called, keeping his voice light as he dug through the box with the rest of his ties. "What else do they say?"

He wondered if the magazines had anything to say about first dates with a women you'd already procreated with because he could use some pointers. He was acutely aware that he'd probably mess this one up pretty badly.

Really. He hadn't been this nervous in years. Not since the first numbers came in for _In a Hail of Bullets_. And everyone knew how that turned out.

"Umm, they say you're silly," Alexis teased, making him huff quietly. "You are!"

"I am? Why?" He stepped out again, showing her the tie for final approval. She smiled gleefully, nodding in agreement.

"That's a good one. And they say you're silly because Kate already likes you, Dad. _Really_ likes you. I asked her. So you don't need to be nervous."

The wisdom of a seven year old. Rick perched on the bed, knocking his little girl off balance and into his shoulder.

"I don't, huh? Because she likes me already?" His fingers fumbled around the edges of the tie, making messy loops that turned into a messy knot.

Alexis sighed, pushing his hand away to smooth his mess down.

"If she already likes you, then you don't hafta work so hard to impress her. Not like when you went on a date with your publisher lady."

Oh, right. He had laid it on a little thick when he and Gina had gone out, even in front of Alexis. A lot of that had been for business, though, showing her what an asset he could be to Black Pawn, even in the face of his earlier failure.

But Alexis was right; he didn't have to do that with Kate; he needed to do more. Kate Beckett was nothing short of amazing. She was tall, gorgeous, sharp-witted, and the mother of two of his children. He had to do better than over the top flirting and stale jokes.

Alexis kissed his cheek, drawing his attention back to her. "I mean it, Daddy. Just be you."

Slinging an arm around his baby girl, he tugged her into his chest. She squirmed, tucking her damp head under his chin, getting comfortable in his embrace. She was already in her pjs, her hair in braids on either side of her head. For a moment all he wanted to do was stay there, holding the one person in his life who had always made sense.

Alexis squeezed him tightly, sinking deeper into his arms.

"Thanks, pumpkin," he breathed, feeling the knots in his shoulders lessen with every passing second. His daughter was a little hug ninja, always there to squeeze the stress away.

Her lips connected with his cheek. "Don't worry so much, Dad," she ordered, sounding too old for her own good. "You're gonna be great. Just um…"

"What?" he asked, pulling back just in time to see the mischievous grin flit across her face.

"Don't shoot the straw wrapper at Kate." She'd barely finished her sentence before she was cackling, rolling out of his arms and flopping back onto his bed.

His crazy kid.

Though, thinking about it, it might be a nice ice-breaker if it came to that.

"You know telling me not to do that only makes me want to do it more."

Alexis grinned, bouncing up to kiss his cheek once more.

"I'm gonna get my stuff. You're ready, Daddy."

"Thanks, sweetie. Don't forget your DVDs. Kate's dad needs to be properly indoctrinated to the _HSM_ phenomena."

She beamed at him on her way out the door, bolstering his confidence enough to take a final look in the mirror. Not half bad if he said so himself. Handsome and put together enough to keep Kate's father from thinking she was going out with some sort of beatnik bum who only called himself a writer for show.

Moving into the living room, he found his daughter tapping one foot, the movement exaggerated by the Marvin the Martian slipper. Oh, she was _ready_ to go.

Rick had to give her that; the call of the twins couldn't be denied.

"Ready?"

"Uh huh."

He patted himself down quickly, making sure he had everything _he_ needed, even as he ran through Alexis's checklist.

"Got the DVDs?"

"Uh huh."

"Got your book."

"Yes," she breathed, shifting her weight eagerly.

"Toothbrush? Toothpaste optional because I'm sure Kate has that. She seems like she brushes her teeth pretty regularly."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Dad."

He grinned. "Monkey Bunkey?"

Indecision flashed in her eyes and he watched her shoulders lift nervously. "Should I?"

Dropping a kiss on her head, Rick shooed her. "Yes. Go get Monkey Bunkey. He can stay in your bag all night if you want, but it's better to have him."

Her shoulders relaxed at the reassurance. "Thanks, Daddy."

Rick smiled softly, watching one of her braids flap as she sprinted out of the room. A part of him wished he could take Monkey Bunkey, too, but that was not at all befitting a man his age.

"Back," she panted, patting the front pocket of her backpack carefully. "Let's go."

It was a short walk down and across the hall, but Alexis still fitted herself into his side on the way, squeezing him gently. It had been just the two of them for so long, save for the occasional short-lived relationship, but he had to believe this would be good for them both, as long as he made sure she was okay with everything that was happening from time to time.

He meant what he said to Kate the other day; it _was_ going to be great. He'd felt the possibilities the first time he'd laid eyes on Kate Beckett, felt them even stronger the first time her mouth slid over his, stealing his breath. His heart had filled with promise the first time she shuddered around him. They could be something amazing, but they had to get there first.

Unfortunately, getting there was proving to be the terrifying part.

"Daddy, somebody's gotta knock," Alexis reminded easily, squeezing him.

Right. Staring blankly at Kate's door wouldn't make it open.

His knock was short, wimpy, but just a few seconds later, the door flew open. He wasn't ashamed to admit he breathed a sigh of relief that it was Kate who answered and not her father, and judging by her smile, she knew it, too.

"Hey," she greeted, her voice breathy, almost husky. He had a feeling she'd jogged in from another room to get to the door before her father could.

"Hi," he replied, knowing he sounded stupid but unable to make his thick tongue cooperate long enough for him to say something more intelligent.

He must have stared a little too hard, a little too long, because Kate's cheeks flushed and she looked away. She turned her attention to Alexis instead.

"Alexis, I love your slippers."

His daughter grinned. "Thanks, Kate. Daddy said I might as well start out comfy."

Kate's smile deepened. "Daddy was right. Come in. My dad's changing Anna's diaper and then he'll be back so I can introduce you guys."

"Kay. Hi, Eli," Alexis called, waving eagerly. The three of them watched the little boy light up.

He waved the little book in his hand, almost in invitation, and Alexis took off, dumping her bag in a chair before climbing into the playpen. Baby Jail, Kate had called it a few times. He loved that.

Kate chuckled, brushing her hand down his arm as she closed the door behind them.

"She told me the other day that she's going to make Eli love her as much as Anna does," he offered, tilting his head in Kate's direction. They both watched Alexis kiss her brother's cheek delicately.

It still felt odd to know his daughter had a brother and a sister. He was slowly getting used to it, but it still felt strange.

"Mmm, I have a feeling they're going to be inseparable by the end of the night," Kate replied, tugging him over to join them. "Sit, Rick. You can't pass out before meeting my dad."

Did he look that bad? Glancing over, he found her smirking at him. Oh, she was messing with him. Funny.

"My tenth grade Homecoming date looked a lot like you do right now, but that was after their man to man talk."

"I'm just," he fumbled for words, smoothing a hand down the front of his suit. "I'm just a little nervous."

Her fingers curled around his elbow, squeezing gently.

"Me too, but it'll be okay," she promised, flexing her fingers.

That made him feel better.

She turned her attention to his daughter once more. "Hey, Alexis, have you eaten? My dad brought macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets – Dino Nuggets, I think – if you're interested." Kate grinned, biting her lip quickly, looking to him to make sure it wasn't the wrong thing to do.

Rick smiled in return. Taking care of his kid was never the wrong thing to do.

"Yes!" Alexis blurted. "It'll be like a second dinner."

Rick laughed. She'd been asking for elevensies a lot recently, too. Kate brightened at the reference, too, making him wonder what other movies she liked.

"Perfect. The two of you can decide how much to make, and the rest can stay here for another time."

Another time. She was already planning for another time. He felt his heart thud against his rib cage; no matter how tonight went, there would be another time.

"Right, Eli?" she asked, leaning over and stealing a kiss from his thin cheek, leaving a delicate, glossy lip print in her wake.

Rick couldn't help but do the same, touching his mouth to a nearly parallel spot on his son's other cheek. His rumbled endearment was lost in the boy's bright giggle.

He was in the middle of messy smooch number two when another squeal joined the happy chaos.

"Okay, Katie, you win. She's the squirmier of the two – oh, hello."

Rick jolted, springing to his feet and swiping a hand over his chest to smooth any wrinkles in his shirt.

"Hello, Mr. Beckett. I'm Rick Castle. It's so nice to meet you."

Beside him, Kate snickered, taking Anna from her father's arms so Rick's outstretched hand wouldn't go ignored.

"Jim, please. It's good to meet you. Katie hasn't told me much, but what she has told me has been good."

"It… oh. Well, thank you. That means a lot, sir, Jim."

Both Becketts chuckled, sharing a long glance. Rick could see the resemblance. Both were tall, though Kate's heels gave her an advantage over her father, both had the same quiet, lopsided smile, and both were laughing at him.

"Relax, Rick. He doesn't have a shotgun," Kate drawled, rolling her eyes at the notion. "Here, want to hold the babies? Just to make sure he won't take extreme measures?"

Anna was in his arms a second later, babbling eagerly as soon as their eyes met. Kate deposited Eli against his chest, too, smirking at his stunned look.

"There, two human shields for you. Now," she paused, turning to brush a hand over his daughter's hair. "Dad, this is Alexis. She'll be having supper with you tonight."

Rick watched his daughter's hand shoot out.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Beckett." He had a feeling she'd been practicing that one, despite the calm way she'd been handling him all evening.

Jim smiled again, shaking Alexis's hand firmly. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Castle. Call me Jim."

It was gentle, but not patronizing. Exactly the way Kate had greeted his daughter just over a week ago. Rick liked her father, he could already tell.

Alexis beamed, pumping the older man's hand once before looking around. "I brought _High School Musical_ , have you seen it?"

Rick turned, pressing his lips to Eli's hair to hide a smile. He had no idea what the draw was, but she adored it. Whenever her usual babysitter, Katrina, came over, it was all they watched.

"Poor Grandpa," he murmured to the twins, earning an amused grin from Kate. Hmm, maybe not grandpa, then, he'd have to see what Jim called himself. "He's in for it now."

The babies giggled, smacking gently at his lips until he gave up talking and blew raspberries into their little palms instead.

"I missed you guys. Can I say that?" he asked, keeping his voice low. Hefting them higher against his chest for better nuzzling, he continued, "Because I did. And I know I said I'd buy you something good, but it's been a pretty busy week, so this is an IOU, kay? Maybe ponies if the book does well? We'll go big. One for each of you, one for Alexis if she wants, maybe even one for your mom. Oh, crap. I should've brought flowers. Think it'd be bad form to buy her the flowers while we're on our date tonight?"

Anna's hand covered his mouth again, squawking enough to make him think he was, in fact, talking too much. Eli giggled too, no doubt amused at his sister's antics.

"Yes, Anna, yes. I'm sorry, I'm being rude. How was _your_ day, little one?"

She cackled, the joy echoing through what was suddenly an incredibly silent living room. Rick glanced up to see Kate's father watching him.

No, studying him.

Jeez, the man was intimidating and it was probably safe to say that he wasn't even trying. If his daughter was half as good as he was, criminals probably tripped over themselves to confess their sins.

Rick laughed lightly, trying – and failing miserably – to cover his discomfort at coming under surveillance.

"Daddy does that," Alexis explained, returning from digging in her backpack for the holy grail of babysitting movies to break the stalemate. "He _loves_ the babies and they think he's so silly."

Jim chuckled, all of the solemnness from a few moments earlier gone. "I can see that. You're good with them, Rick."

"Ahh, thanks. Thank you," he stammered. Taking a compliment from the man felt strange, especially given the situation, but he tried to do so gracefully. Just like Martha Rodgers always instructed him. _Chin up, darling. Fake it until you make it._

Kate's hand landed against his shoulder blades, the touch siphoning some of his tension immediately, giving him the chance to regain his equilibrium.

"Alexis trained me well," he managed, smiling affectionately down at his daughter. He really had been lucky with her. Especially as she got older and realized more and more that he was trying his best, but not always succeeding.

"I really did," she agreed, bumping her head against his side. "I am pretty great."

"And so very modest, too, pumpkin," Rick teased, shifting the twins to lean over and drop a kiss against the crown of her head.

The babies cackled, clinging to his shoulders even as they bounced for more.

He indulged them, rocking at the hips until they were parallel to the floor, only to pull back up, check their faces, and do it again. Some dips were faster, some dips slower, but all got the same crazed joy in response.

The game continued until their little faces turned red and Eli's giggles turned to coughs.

"Ohhkay, enough of that," he promised, blowing cool air over their faces as Kate's hand swept in gentle circles over their son's back. "It's only fun for a little while, I know. You're okay."

His date echoed the sentiment, kissing the boy's cheek softly. Anna received the same quiet attention before Kate shifted, nearly bumping heads with him.

They laughed softly, almost sheepishly. When had they drifted so close?

Licking his lips, he forged ahead. "Well, should we leave these party animals to their marathon and head out?"

Kate's smile widened. "I think we could do that."

He watched her turn to her father, offering him slightly narrowed eyes. Oh, was he… did Jim want to say something more? If the older man did, his daughter didn't allow it.

"Okay, all of the emergency numbers are by the phone. I have my cell and Rick has his – oh I should write that down, too."

"Better you than me," Rick quipped, earning him a look that clearly said _"Really? Now?"_

"What? We're not joking about that yet?"

Kate rolled her eyes, but she was grinning anyway. "You think you're so funny, Castle."

 _Castle?_ He only lifted his eyebrows in response, turning back to the children.

"Now, do you promise to have tons of fun, play hard, and fall asleep after eating ice cream without brushing your teeth first?"

"Daddy, they're babies. Their teeth are too little to brush."

He grinned. "I was talking to you, missy."

Alexis giggled, lifting onto her toes just as he squatted for a kiss. "I like brushing before bed, Dad."

"And brush you shall," he assured, kissing her again. "Call me if you need anything. Even if it's just to say you miss me and goodnight. Especially if it's to say you miss me and goodnight." He winked.

"I will," she promised seriously. His serious little girl.

"Good. Let me say night to these guys and then I'll give you a hug."

Her lips turned up eagerly. "Kay."

Turning back to the twins, he kissed their heads, whispering for them to try to convince Alexis to have ice cream before bed anyway. Alexis giggled, but didn't argue, probably because it made her siblings laugh, too.

Once the twins were safely back in their play area, he swept his daughter into a bear hug, swaying easily.

Alexis squeezed him. "Have fun, Daddy. And be good."

Easier said than done, but he would try. After all, he had to face his date's father at the end of the night.

Not to mention, being something other than good was probably the exact opposite of going slow and making a smart go of it.

No, they would be good. Even if being in the same room with Kate Beckett and her deep purple – eggplant purple – dress was enough to set his blood alight. They would be good and they would do it right this time.

"Ready?" Kate asked, slamming him back to reality with one flustered word. Oh, he'd been staring at her, hadn't he? Damn, that was probably a little bit creepy.

"Yeah," he husked, squeezing Alexis one last time before releasing her and standing taller. "I'm ready."

"Great." Kate kissed the twins quickly, straightening and reaching for her purse. She took a moment to squeeze Alexis's shoulder, too. "See you later, Alexis."

"Bye, Kate. Have fun!"

Rick grinned, offering Jim a nod. "Now why didn't you tell Kate to be good?"

Alexis twisted to face him, hand going to her hip. Oh, that attitude was all his mother. "Because I know you, Daddy. You need the reminder."

Kate's head fell back, her mouth opening in silent laughter. Yeah, she thought it was funny now, just wait until Anna was talking back to her.

Telling her so had Jim nodding in agreement.

"And think, Katie," her father added, "if she's anything like you were, you'll finally understand why I went gray so quickly."

"Now these are stories I need to hea –" Rick yelped in surprise at the firm press of Kate's fingers around his arm.

"No you don't. Come on, before the little ones realize this is a set up."

Well, he couldn't argue with that. Tears were the last things he would wish on Jim and Alexis.

"Another time?" he asked hopefully, lifting his eyebrows in Kate's dad's direction. The older man chuckled, waving them out.

"That's up to Katie, Rick. That's up to her."

Kate just sighed, closing the door behind them.

"Troublemaker," she muttered, checking her purse quickly. He could see her cheeks were rosy, flushed from the attention.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," he teased, lowering his hands to support the bag for her, making it easier for her to search.

"Uh huh. He doesn't need encouragement to embarrass me."

"Kate," he started, getting her eyes. "I was kidding."

"I… I know that," she said quickly, straightening her shoulders and taking her purse back. "Thanks," she added a moment later, quieter this time.

"You're welcome." He offered her his arm, patting her fingers gently when she accepted.

"Sorry," she murmured a few minutes later, once they were safely on the elevator and heading toward the ground floor. "I'm bad at this dating thing, and with our… situation being so… I'm just nervous. I didn't mean to snap."

"Me too, Kate. On both accounts. And I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head, releasing a slow breath. "So… date's going really well so far, huh?"

He chuckled, thumbing her knuckles slowly.

"We're just getting started, Kate. Just getting started."

That seemed to relax her even more, bringing the smile back to her face.

"Well that's good. And while we continue to get started, are you going to tell me where we're going and what we're doing?" Her eyebrow lifted expectantly.

He just grinned in return, gesturing for her to precede him out of the elevator. His eyes dipped instinctively, watching her practically strut ahead of him. She might be nervous, but fuck; she was sexy as hell, too.

"You'll see, Detective," he rasped, swallowing hard and just hoping his legs didn't give out as he followed her. "You'll see."

* * *

 _A/N: Once again, thank you all! I wish I could properly express my gratitude, but please just know how amazing you all are._


	4. Chapter 4

_I cannot say it enough, but thank you to everyone for reading and supporting this story. I know I've been terrible about replying personally, but please, please know each and every comment and review turns me into a gleeful little ball. Thank you for sticking with me!_

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Four**

* * *

He may have attempted to play coy, but she'd managed to wheedle their destination out of him somewhere between the third floor and the elevators opening on the ground. It sounded promising; she'd never been to the restaurant before, but every time she'd wheeled the twins by, it'd been packed.

She was looking forward to going inside and seeing if the crazy crowds had the right idea.

Not bothering to get a cab to go just a few blocks, they walked side by side, dodging another wave of people returning home from work. Their knuckles brushed tentatively with each stride, each gentle touch causing her head to dip. Neither spoke, neither mentioned the cautious flirtation of their hands, but she saw a shy smile curving his lips, too.

They were still working off their nerves, but she was confident it would be good.

"Have you been?" she asked finally, looking up just as he blurted,

"You look gorgeous."

They stuttered to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk, eyes locking. Laughter bubbled between them, one part embarrassed, one part amused at being on the same wavelength with each other.

"Thank you," she replied, ducking her head once more and pushing a piece of freshly trimmed hair behind her ear.

Maybe skipping out during her lunch break for a haircut hadn't been the best use of her time, but it was amazing what a new style could do to her morale. Gone were the dead ends and the stringy strands the twins pulled on when she changed their diaper; instead she felt lighter, almost more confident.

"I mean it," Rick said, eyes sweeping over her face and down her body. The phantom caress snaked down her spine, and she had to fight the shiver of self-consciousness at being under his scrutiny.

She looked different than he remembered, she knew. She'd tried to pick a dress that flattered the changes to her figure, but it still wasn't enough to hide everything. Most of the time it didn't bother her; she'd had twins and she was carrying a few stubborn, extra pounds around her mid-section that not even her most rigorous workouts had managed to take care of yet. There was no shame in that, but under Rick's gaze, she couldn't help but settle her arms against her belly protectively.

The gesture didn't faze him, though. He'd already swept back to her face, something burning in his eyes. Affection? Desire?

"Gorgeous," he repeated, smiling softly. "I like your hair, too."

"Thanks. It was kind of a whim. It's a little shorter than I wanted, but I like it, I think. And maybe the twins won't pull on it as much now."

Rick smiled again, shaking his head at her doubts. "I like it. It's sexy."

"Thanks." She offered him a smile of her own. "You're not so bad yourself, Rick. I like the tie."

He chuckled, ducking his head this time. "Alexis helped me pick it out. Apparently I was being crazy and hopeless."

Laughing, she nudged him with her elbow. They needed to walk; they were starting to get looks from other pedestrians for blocking the path.

"Well, your combined efforts are appreciated."

He brightened at that – god, he was cute – putting one foot in front of the other again before replying, "Thanks."

As they made their final approach to the restaurant, he offered his arm gallantly. "And to answer your question, I've never been here. I saw it when I was scoping out the neighborhood before we moved."

She grinned, squeezing his arm. Not that she would've minded going somewhere he'd been before, but it was nice knowing the place would be new for both of them. A fresh start, so to speak.

"Me either. We walk by a lot on the way home from the park, but never go in."

"Well good. It'll be a first for us both."

Kate kissed his cheek impulsively. "Perfect."

A blush stained his skin, his pleased, shy smile making him look like a little boy – like Eli.

"So I remember Alexis saying something the other day, but why _did_ you move? And what made you pick the East Village? I would've pegged you as a Tribeca or SoHo guy." The change of subject was abrupt, but it was a necessary evil. Without it, she might've pressed closer, touched her mouth to his smile, maybe even blown the entire idea of 'slow' out of the water.

Rick grinned, trailing his fingers over her hand. "Damn, you're good. SoHo's my goal, where I want to be in a few years. As for why we moved… the neighborhood around our last place was starting to get a little rough. I didn't want Alexis to have to stay inside all the time, or feel uncomfortable just walking home from the store with a pint of ice cream. Then our rent skyrocketed, which was ridiculous considering the downturn, and I knew it was better to find somewhere new. And after walking around this place, I liked the atmosphere, I liked the people I saw, I liked being close enough to a flat space with green stuff that wasn't pavement, so here we are."

Nodding thoughtfully, Kate squeezed his arm.

"Well, for selfish reasons, I'm glad you aren't at your goal yet. And I'm glad you liked what you saw that day."

"Me, too," he rumbled, pressing his fingers against hers again. "SoHo can wait."

An easy warmth filled her belly. "Yeah? What's it waiting for?"

She expected something romantic, maybe a promise that would seem like too much too soon, what he said in response wasn't that,

"Well for one I need to make more friends. Preferably friendships with guys who can move my furniture for cheap."

Laughing, Kate slotted her fingers through his. "You did look like you were struggling a little bit there, bud."

Rick grinned easily, opening the door for her. "I'll have you know that other than the mishap with the elevator, I managed just fine. And if it weren't for said mishap, we might not have found each other again."

"Rick, you live at the end of the hall. Unless you take the stairs, you have to pass my apartment to leave the floor every day. I'm sure we would've run into each other."

He followed her into the restaurant, his hand warm in hers. She shivered at the swipe of his thumb across her knuckle.

"Yeah, but this is New York. How well do we really know our neighbors? Did you even know the old resident had moved out? We could've gone months without ever knowing we were so close."

Bits of other conversations kept breaking through her concentration, but she simply stepped closer, lifting her lips to brush his ear.

"I'm glad we didn't."

She couldn't hear him agree, but his smile told her everything she needed to know.

Thankfully, a few minutes later, they were seated at a small round table on the rooftop patio. Even with the noise of the street below, it was much, much quieter outside. They both looked grateful for that; having to yell to converse hadn't seemed very appealing.

Kate relaxed into her chair, sipping the water she'd been poured while her date surveyed the wine menu for the perfect choice. His brow furrowed adorably at the options, making her smile; it was another thing Eli had inherited from him.

"Eli looks just like you," she murmured, startling him out of his contemplation. "Anna, too."

Rick's eyes lost some of their confusion and he leaned forward, wanting to hear more about his children. She sipped her water quickly, gathering her thoughts.

"I'd always thought they looked like you, but until tonight I hadn't realized how much. They both have your smile, but he looks just like you when he's thinking."

He chuckled, suddenly bashful. "Just to be clear, that's a good thing, right? Should I be apologizing?"

"For making good looking babies with me? There are worse things you could apologize for," she teased.

Rick nodded in concession, the corners of his lips twitching. "That's fair."

She grinned, giving in and reaching across the table to swipe at his forehead, smoothing the lines off his face. "He gets so serious, like his decision to grab the blue key instead of the yellow one is going to make or break everything. And Anna has the cheeky, devious smile you give Alexis when you're about to tickle her."

Her date laughed, leaning into her hand. "I get the feeling you're just as devious, Miss Beckett."

Stroking his brow one last time, she retreated to her side of the table. "Mhmm, maybe. You'll just have to wait to find out."

Rick grinned. "I can't wait."

She grinned back, sipping her water once more. "So what's our wine choice for this evening?"

He cleared his throat, lowering his eyes to the wine card. "Oh, uh, I'm thinking red?"

"Red's great," she hummed, finally giving her menu a look. She never really bothered to pair her meal to her wine, but in the interest of not looking like a total idiot, she would attempt to this time.

He nodded happily, content with the choice, before flagging the young man who'd told them the night's specials down and requesting a bottle.

"So uh," he started once they were alone again. "I know you probably haven't had a chance to even look at it, but if you have, what do you think of the book?"

Flushing, Beckett looked at her hands and then back up at him. "I, um…"

He tried to school his face, but she watched disappointment flair. "Oh. You haven't started it. That's okay, I shouldn't rush you."

"No! No, no. I started it. I –"

"But you hate it, don't you?" He deflated even further. "Lots of people did, you're not alone."

Her hand scrambled across the table, covering his and silencing his self-deprecation. "Rick, Rick, no. No, I didn't just start it, I um, I kinda finished it? I stayed up all night – most of it anyway – to read. I couldn't put it down long enough to go to bed." A sheepish smile touched her lips and she looked up to find him gawking at her.

"You couldn't put it down?" he repeated, making her cheeks flush. "Does that mean you liked it? Or that it was so bad, you thought of it as the proverbial train wreck?"

Laughing, Kate shook her head. "Oh god, it was so good. I don't know how anybody couldn't like it. It was smart, it was suspenseful, and at one point I was laughing so hard, I thought I was going to wake the kids."

She rocked forward, her enthusiasm getting the better of her. She wasn't just telling him what he wanted to hear, she'd _loved_ the book.

Relief flooded his face. "You did?"

"Uh huh, I think you know enough about me to know I don't feed you bullshit, Rick Castle."

His cheeks colored at that, and her fingers slipped around two of his. She understood his hesitance; it had to suck to have put so much time and effort into the book only to receive a lukewarm response.

"I mean it; the book was _good_. You should get your new publisher to re-release it if you can. With the right marketing, it'll sell."

Rick's eyes widened at the praise, maybe at the idea of having enough power to make that happen. Kate squeezed his hand in encouragement.

"Can I read your next book when it's ready? Is it related to the first one?"

His fingers twitched in her grasp.

"Ah, no, no," he stumbled over his words. "Wait, yes. Yes, you can read, but no it's not related. It's a standalone. New characters, a new universe, everything. And it's better than _In a Hail of Bullets_ , too. I promise that. More authentic, I think."

"Oh, okay. Give me a summary, then. So I know what I'm waiting for."

It sounded bossy, but she didn't care. She couldn't remember the last time she'd talked about actual books, not the ones with the cutesy rhymes and animal characters that the twins 'read.' The boys at work didn't do much reading, Lanie was more of a bodice-ripper fan, and her dad liked sports biographies more than fiction.

Her mom had – her mom had been one of the few people with whom she shared literary tastes. They would spend hours in bookstores, wandering the shelves and debating whether they should purchase everything they picked up, only to leave without discarding a single book. They would spend the next few weeks devouring and swapping their choices, only to go back to the bookstore the next time they were both free.

Years later, she still had an email with a list of novels her mother had recommended saved on her computer hard drive. She'd read all of them within a year of her mother's death, but the email was one of the last things Johanna had sent her; she was keeping it for as long as she could.

"Kate? Are you with me?" Rick's thumb slipped over her knuckles, his call quiet and cautious.

Blinking, she focused on the man in front of her once more. The man she'd accidentally tuned out as he described his newest book.

"Sorry," she breathed, dipping her head in embarrassment. "I got lost… thinking. Tell me again?"

She listened the second time, watching his face as he spoke. Gone was the nervousness and the fear she'd seen a few minutes earlier, in its place was pride, excitement, and hope.

Rightfully so, too. His new book sounded awesome.

"I'll pre-order it this weekend, tomorrow or when I'm on shift on Sunday," she promised.

"Or I can get you a copy. They'll give me a copy just before it's released; it's yours if you'd like."

"Thanks." She squeezed his hand. Having the author's copy thrilled her to no end, but she might still pre-order it anyway. Sales were vital for him this time and she wanted to help.

"Thanks for wanting to read it," he replied, genuine gratitude honeying his voice. "At least I'll have one reader."

"Uh huh. I think you'll have a few more than that, Rick."

He chuckled, looking up as their waiter stepped beside their table to present them with their wine and take the rest of their order.

Once the young man was gone, leaving their wine was breathing in front of them, she shifted her chair a little bit closer to him around the table.

"So what, um, what made you want to go through all of this? Dealing with the nerves, and the publishers, and the sales numbers? Especially for a second time. It's brave."

Rick smiled softly, thoughtfully, lifting his wine glass to his lips. Gathering his thoughts, no doubt. She recognized the tactic.

"Thanks. It's um, yeah that part's scary as hell. On par with having Alexis or telling her mom I wanted custody when we divorced."

Kate nodded slowly, making a note to ask him about that sometime, too. There was so much she wanted to know about him.

"But I did it for the story. I know it's fiction, but it could still be someone's story. And maybe it'll help us make sense of why people do the things they do to one another. I don't know if that makes sense, or if it sounds like obnoxious writer ego bullshit," he added, laughing at himself as a basket of dinner rolls appeared on their table.

"No," she interrupted, handing him one before taking a roll for herself. "No, that makes perfect sense. Telling the stories, knowing why, that's important. That's really important."

She bit into the bread quickly, savoring the warm, flaky crust. Rick eyed her carefully, but did the same, licking crumbs and a smudge of butter off his lips.

"Is that why you're a cop?" he asked, voice quiet, like he'd seen something in her reaction to make him cautious. "Because I wouldn't have guessed. That night in the bar, I had you pegged as a burned-out lawyer, maybe a burned-out doctor."

Sipping her wine, she debated how much to tell him. He already knew about her mother, but he deserved to know the rest of the story. It had shaped so much of who she was and how she dealt with things; he should know.

"I probably would've been one. A burned-out lawyer, I mean. My mom and my dad were both lawyers. Dad still is. But after my mother died…"

It wasn't first date conversation, she knew that, but still the words tumbled out under his soft, quiet gaze.

"My mother didn't just die. She was killed. So I joined the police force… to find out why, I guess. Why they did it, why the people working her case never got anywhere. I guess to find out the story." Kate sipped her wine again, blinking away stubborn tears as she swallowed.

"Kate," Rick started, covering her hand gently. Their fingers had parted when the bread arrived, but she needed the touch now. "How… what happened?"

"We…" she stopped, spying a bus boy coming their way with a tray of salads. It wasn't a secret, of course, but she didn't want or need random strangers knowing her business.

She continued as soon as he was gone, "We were supposed to go to dinner together, my mom, my dad, and I, and she was gonna meet us at the restaurant, but she never showed. Two hours later, we went home, and there was a detective waiting for us."

Rick's fingers stroked the back of her hand, pulling her out of the memory and back to that moment. Back to him.

Kate swallowed hard. "They'd found her body. She had been stabbed."

"A robbery?"

Shaking her head, she took another deep breath. "No. She still had her money, purse, and jewelry. It wasn't a sexual assault, either. They attributed it to gang violence, an initiation probably. They called it a random wayward event, said she'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And they never caught who did it?" he asked, voiced hushed. Whether it was out of respect for their privacy or because he was caught up in his own emotions, Kate didn't know.

"No. So that's… why I became a cop." She lowered her eyes. "Part of me thought I could do it myself, solve it myself. Part of me just didn't want others to go without answers the way my dad and I had."

Squeezing his hand quickly, she offered Rick a watery smile. What a way for her to kill the mood.

"My dad took it hard, her death. He… he had some problems, but he's okay now. And I…" Her brow furrowed. "Shit, I probably should've told you this before you entrusted him with your kid – kids – but he is okay. He hasn't… since the day I told him I was pregnant, he's been working to be better. He's over a year sober."

Rick's head dipped, his lips brushing her blanched knuckles. Oh, she was holding on too tightly.

"Kate, if you trust him, I trust him. I like to think I'm good at reading people, and from what I saw tonight, your dad is a good person. More than good. Alexis, the twins, they're in good hands."

"Thanks," she croaked, sniffing quickly. "Sorry. I… wow, I think I may need to arrest myself for murdering the mood."

Her date laughed softly, pressing his mouth to the back of her hand. "No, you need to arrest yourself for that terrible joke, Kate," he teased, offering her an impossibly tender look. "That was just awful. As for the mood? Telling me about the boil on your butt would kill the mood."

That got her. She barked a laugh, swiping at her eyes and getting herself together.

"Telling me about you is why we're here, though. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I want to know more about the gorgeous woman I had less than a full day with in Atlantic City."

Heat infused her cheeks, making his smile grow. Oh, he liked knowing what he did to her, didn't he?

"But to even things up," he added, thumbing her knuckles once again. "My ex-wife, Alexis's mom, she cheated on me. My mother introduced us years ago when she thought I had been living in my head for too long. We had nothing in common, really. I was trying to write my book, I worked nights delivering sandwiches – a catch I was not – but we just hit it off, I guess."

He lifted a shoulder. "Meredith was just starting out, too, and I had visions of us rising to stardom together; Rick and Meredith Castle, the author-actress duo. We got married on a whim, then Alexis came along, and not long after that, Meredith started to pull away. She spent more time at auditions, less time with us."

Kate squeezed his hand. He didn't seem upset, but the support had to help with a story like this.

"I got off work early one night and caught her in bed with her director. She left that night, followed him back to LA, and served me with divorce papers a few weeks after that. We see her every few months, give or take. Sometimes it's longer if she's working; her career really took off in LA."

The snort made it out before her sense of decorum could stop it. "Yeah, I'll bet it did."

Rick chuckled. "She's… not a bad person, she's just… She and Alexis have their own special bond and that's what's important to me now. And I don't have to pay alimony because she makes more than I do," he added, offering her the cheeky grin she'd mentioned earlier.

"Well you shouldn't have to because she cheated on you." Protectiveness welled in her chest, making her grip his hand harder than necessary.

Rick hummed, loosening her hold to press their palms together. He didn't argue with her, though.

"You were just doing the best you could, right?" she asked. "You weren't stepping out with some sandwich floozy or abusing her? You didn't deserve that, neither did Alexis."

"No," he agreed, dipping his head. "No we didn't. But it only made me want to work harder, to get away from being the starving artist sandwich guy."

"And you _are_ ," she promised, surprised at her own ferocity. Rick Castle was a gentle, sweet, kindhearted man and he didn't deserve that. She didn't need months or years of learning about him to know that.

"Thanks, Kate." He cleared his throat. "I think I'm moving in the right direction, at least. Now I write for online publications and hope for good news about the book. No more sandwich deliveries."

"Mmm, that's kind of too bad. I was looking forward to getting a good hoagie from you." She punctuated her fake wistfulness with a delicate press of her palm against his, looking up at him from under her lashes.

She knew the moment her innuendo hit home, because his face broke open and laughter echoed around the patio. Just like that, the heaviness was gone, the weight of their shared confessions no longer inhabiting the table between them.

"Oh, Kate, I'll happily deliver a hoagie to you anytime."

She cackled. They were getting curious looks from the other diners, but she didn't care.

"So," Rick began finally, once they'd laughed until tears pricked the corners of their eyes and a deep breath was hard to come by. "What _is_ it like to be a detective? On a TV realism scale, where does it fall?"

Sitting back in her chair, Kate tilted her head. "It's probably a … wait, is one the least realistic or is ten?"

" _Mister Ed_ to _Law and Order_ realism, Kate," he hummed, taking a bite of bread.

Laughing again, she nodded. "Well, it's nowhere close to the talking horse, Castle. Maybe _NYPD Blue_?"

His eyes lit up with his laugh. "You did that earlier," he observed, ignoring the reference.

"What?" She took a bite of her salad, chewing thoughtfully.

"Castle. You just called me 'Castle.' You did it earlier at your place when you were giving me a hard time."

"Mmm, sorry." She licked her lips. "Habit. It's kind of a camaraderie thing at work."

Rick grinned. "I like camaraderie. I _definitely_ like having camaraderie with you. And I like Castle, too."

"You do, huh?"

His head bobbed eagerly. "Feels badass."

"Badass, huh?" She bumped his foot with hers.

"Oh yeah. Like I'm out there with you, combing the streets, tracking every lead, taking dirtbags dow – what?"

"Nothing." She pursed her lips to keep from laughing at him. Damn it, he was cute. "Nothing at all. I just usually stick with calling them suspects," she added, nudging his hand gently.

"Oh."

Kate laughed again, taking another bite. "Sorry to burst your bubble."

"That's okay." He wiggled in his chair. "I bet you still have good stories. You see a lot of crazy stuff, don't you?"

She did. She also saw terrible, horrifying things she hoped never to relive, but he wasn't asking for those. He was asking for the goofy things, the takedowns where the perp tried to run with their pants around their ankles, or she had to tackle them to the ground like Batman to keep them from darting into traffic and disappearing into the night.

So she gave him those stories. In return, he gave her stories about some of the people he'd met when he started researching his new book. He didn't come right out and say it, but she had no doubt that they were most likely mobsters.

They might have to talk about that at some point.

Thankfully, they moved on quickly from mobsters and stupid criminal tricks. Her sides ached from laughing, from hearing stories of playing dress up with his little girl, and from telling him about her – albeit few – antics with the twins.

It barely even registered when their entrée dishes were taken away and dessert appeared in front of them. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been on a date that was this easy. Or one that she wasn't ready to leave before it was even over.

In fact, she didn't want the date to end. Not even when the restaurant closed around them, leading their waiter to explain that while they weren't being kicked out, their tab needed to be closed.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. We're sorry." Kate fumbled for her purse, sliding her card into the sleeve as soon as her fingers closed around the plastic.

Her date protested, making her smile quickly.

"My treat, Rick."

"I'm getting the next one," he warned, conceding without further protest.

"Kay." She winked, tapping her fingertips against the table as they waited for the young man to return. "Gonna hold you to that."

–

"It's still pretty early," Rick observed once they were back on the street. Once she'd collected her card, they'd made their way downstairs and out, not wanting to inconvenience anyone else by staying too long. "Think your dad's okay for a little while longer?"

"Yeah. Yeah I think he's good. What do you have in mind?" she murmured, checking her phone to be sure that her father hadn't sent out an SOS while they were giggling. It was only ten-thirty, he had to be good.

"Let's take a walk?"

Her cheek landed on his shoulder, arm curling through his. Even after drinking two cups of coffee, she felt sluggish and heavy, eager to sink into him. A walk would be good.

"Perfect," she agreed, feeling his warmth under her cheek. "Let's walk," she added unnecessarily, letting him propel them wherever he wanted to go.

They'd only gone a couple of blocks when Rick smiled, thanking her for dinner again. "I wanted to treat you, you know. It doesn't make up for not being there when you were pregnant, but –"

"You didn't know."

"No, but I'm sorry I didn't make it easier to find me. I should've given you more than just my first name. Or proofread my number."

She laughed softly, freeing her hand to rub his back. "Well, I wasn't much of a detective if I didn't think to try similar numbers. So that's on me." She looped her arm through his again, thumbing his bicep.

His fingers covered hers. "You shouldn't have needed to be a detective to find me."

Shaking her head, Kate smiled into his shoulder. It wasn't frustrating anymore. It had been, but it wasn't anymore. Having the story helped. Knowing it was practically a comedy of errors that kept them from crossing paths again helped.

"You know I almost put out an APB for you. Didn't go through with it, obviously, but I considered it when I was a little hormonal."

Her baby daddy – her friend – laughed, dipping his head to touch hers.

"That would've been so cool."

"You really think being brought in like a suspect is cool?" Her eyes rolled.

"Oh yeah! I mean, it's no fun when you _have_ done something wrong, but being brought in and told I'd be a dad again? Seeing you again? That would've been awesome," he swore. "Especially if you were in that outfit from the other day."

Giggling, Kate pressed a smile into his arm. "You liked that?" It was just a regular work outfit. Nothing exciting, nothing crazy.

"The heels, Kate. The leather jacket," he groaned dramatically, pressing his lips against her hair. It wasn't a true kiss, but it still stopped her short, stole her breath.

She wanted to kiss him for real. Even if it meant speeding things up a little bit.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted onto her toes and brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth.

"Ka –" His breath hitched.

She hummed his name, pressing her mouth to his firmly, insistently.

His hand curled around her hip, pulling her closer under the streetlight. Their chests brushed, pushing together as his tongue slipped delicately over her lip. She opened to him, tasting chocolate and coffee, tasting their laughter and his joy, his fervor. Fuck, he was a good kisser.

She'd remembered his kiss so many times over the last year. She'd remembered the softness of his lips, the slide of his tongue against hers, the way his groan reverberated through her chest. She remembered the silky slide of his hair under her hands, the way the short strands stood on end when she scratched his scalp.

And shit, she wanted to refresh her memory again and again.

But they couldn't. Not tonight.

It took every shred of control she had left, but she managed to press another lingering kiss to his mouth before her hand slipped from his hair and she put some distance between them.

Rick blinked, focusing on her a second later, his smile shy and sweet.

"Hey."

"Hey," she echoed, sliding a thumb over his bottom lip. "Better than a perp walk, huh?"

"Wha?" It took him a moment to comprehend before he was chuckling again. "Well, that kiss was good, but Cop!Kate seems like she'd be just _so_ hot. Call me greedy, but I want to meet her, too."

Lacing their fingers together, she began to walk again. In his addled state, the tug of their hands knocked him off balance and into her, putting his body warm and solid against her back.

"Well you never know, Castle," she teased quietly, kissing the back of his hand. His fingers tightened around hers at the affection. "Stick with me long enough and I might just let you see my handcuffs."

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you again everyone!_


	5. Chapter 5

_First, I want to say thank you to everyone for being patient with me these last couple of weeks. My schedule got a little bit crazy on me. I hope this chapter makes up for the delay!_

 _And I know it's late, but maybe this just squeaks in for Castle Fanfic Monday, but if it doesn't, happy Tuesday!_

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Five**

* * *

In college, the idea of an open-door policy in the dorms had driven her insane. She'd wanted her space to remain her space, not give every girl on the hall the opportunity to barge in and start talking. Even when the RA had 'reminded' her that it was supposed to be a friendly gesture, she hadn't allowed the door to stay open longer than the suggested hour each day.

Now, though, at the age of twenty-seven, Kate Beckett found herself leaving her apartment door open each evening – never when she left the room, of course – so Rick and Alexis would know they were welcome to come over and see the twins (her, too, if they really felt so inclined). Nearly every night, they'd taken her up on the offer, sometimes stopping just to wave and say hi on the way to or from their place, sometimes tapping on the doorframe and stepping over the baby gate she'd secured in the doorway to keep the little ones from making a break for the hall. They might only be crawling, but they were _fast_ when they wanted to be.

It worked out surprisingly well. More than a few times, Alexis had brought her homework and worked at Kate's coffee table before watching a movie or playing with the kids. Rick had brought his laptop a few times, too, working on edits for his book or turning in articles for his other job at what had to be the last minute. Most of the time, she saw him surfing the web, looking at cool tech toys – research for his articles, he insisted. Right.

Some nights they brought dinner, cooked just moments before in their own kitchen, some nights she tackled cooking for all three of them, and some nights they handled everything separately. It was nice, knowing there were no expectations, but even nicer knowing she would be eating with company over the age of one.

Her other neighbors seemed to think it was weird, the open-door policy – their looks said enough as they passed her door on the way to the elevator. It _was_ odd, she agreed, but the arrangement worked for them. Rick and Alexis got to see the twins, even just in passing, and her kids got to see their dad and sister. She could handle living in a fish bowl for a few hours a night to make that happen.

The other benefit to the silly open-door policy was she never missed Rick when he tried to sneak presents for the twins past her apartment. Before instituting the open-door policy, she'd found toys on her nightly clean up that she hadn't recognized, only to hear from her baby daddy via text that they were from them. Now she could spot the FAO Schwarz bag before he hid it in the ever-growing pile of things he and Alexis brought over each time.

Of course, having the door open also meant watching him struggle to lug a ridiculously large box down the corridor on his own. What was he doing?

Concentrated as he was on his payload, he didn't even notice that she'd abandoned the game of 'pass the squishy block,' letting the twins amuse themselves for the moment, and made her way to her doorway.

"Rick," she called, leaning over the baby gate. "What on earth are you carrying?"

He jumped, twisting to keep the box behind him. Interesting. What was he hiding?

"What? Oh, it's uh, just something new for the apartment. It just came in."

"Uh huh," she hummed. "You've been in your place for over a month, Rick. What is it?"

He grunted, shifting the box behind him a little more. He _really_ didn't want her to see what it was. Very interesting. Either it was something incredibly embarrassing for him, or it was something he thought she might argue against for the twins.

"Why don't I go put this down and then I'll bring over some stuff to make dinner in a little while? It's early now, I know, but why wait to grab everything and bring it over? Alexis is at a sleepover, so it's just us toni – hey, peanuts. Look at you guys go. Are you crawling to see me? Daddy'll be right back, okay?"

Anna's hand clattered against the gate as Rick finally stopped babbling and turned away. He grunted again, making Kate wince. He was going to ruin his back, but she couldn't leave the twins alone to help him.

Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't bring them along to see what he was really up to.

Mindful of little hands, arms, and legs, Kate stepped back from the doorway and moved to grab her keys. That was exactly what they were going to do; she would call it a field trip to see if her friend – boyfriend? – had had lost his mind.

"What is your daddy doing, Eli? Let's go sneak up on him and see."

Scooping up the twins was never easy. They wiggled and squirmed so much, half the time she was afraid she would drop one or both of them. Somehow she always managed to wrangle them without injuries, but never with the adept hand Rick had shown in the month since they'd reunited.

Yeah, she needed to make sure her baby daddy wasn't going to break himself. Not only did she need him intact to do this parenting thing with her, she'd also like him intact for selfish reasons.

Very selfish reasons.

Through some unspoken mutual agreement, they hadn't slept together again, not yet. Jumping back into bed wasn't going slow, not even close. What they had done was established an easy, simmering sort of intimacy in the weeks since their official first date. They sat closer, touched more deliberately, even shared soft, sweet kisses when Alexis wasn't looking. It was fun and thrilling. Each day she looked forward to the affection, even when each gentle press of his mouth on hers made her ache for more.

"Okay, guys, let's go see what the crazy man is doing tonight."

The twin weren't exactly fans of being removed from their play area, but the murmured reminder that they were following Rick seemed to pacify them. With their reluctant cooperation secured, she managed to get out of her apartment and close and lock the door without knocking anyone's head against a doorjamb – including her own.

Thankfully, Rick hadn't closed his door all the way in his haste to get the box inside, so all it took was a quick nudge of her foot to gain entry.

Caught, Rick's head snapped up, his eyes wide and so, so blue. Somehow his scheming made him even hotter.

"Kate!"

"Hey. We came to see what's in the box."

"It's, ah –"

"Rick, remember what I do?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow. Anna's hand smacked at her boob, but she ignored it in favor of bouncing both babies to distract them. "What're you up to?"

"I… well, I was going to wait to unveil it but… here."

He stepped away from the box to allow her to see a manufacturer's drawing of a crib. Her heart fluttered in her chest, sending a warm rush of affection through her limbs.

"Rick," she breathed, pressing her lips into Eli's hair. "You – a crib?"

"Well, yeah. I got Alexis's out of storage, but it was broken. So I only bought one of these and I'm gonna have hers fixed – assuming it isn't illegal to even have now. But this way they can have somewhere to sleep if you're over here."

She blinked, looking past him and taking in the rest of his apartment. She'd only seen it once, but she'd seen enough to know he'd changed things since then.

There were _a lot_ more pillows than she remembered and his coffee table had been wrapped in – was that bubble wrap?

"Either you stubbed your toe trying to get a midnight snack, or…"

He stuck his tongue out at her, going back to the crib box. "It's babyproofing, Kate."

Hefting the twins higher against her body, she stepped the rest of the way into Rick's apartment and kicked the door shut.

"You're babyproofing?"

Confusion marred his face. "Yes? Why? Should I not be?" He looked up again, his fingers wrapped around the Styrofoam padding.

"I just didn't expect it." Her forehead creased as his face fell a little. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, but it was the truth. He hadn't said anything about setting his place up for the kids.

"Well I don't want you to think you always _have_ to entertain us at your place. I know you hate keeping the door open the way you do, and I know the neighbors think we're insane for always running back and forth, so I thought… Did I assume too much?"

Stepping around the box and over to the safe zone between the couch and the coffee table, she lowered the twins to the floor. They rejoiced in their newfound freedom, giggling together and looking around the unfamiliar room.

Turning back to Rick, she found him watching the kids, something resembling longing curling at the edges of his features. Oh, he thought… he thought she didn't _want_ him to do this?

"Rick," she called, getting his eyes back on her. "Rick, you didn't assume too much. This is sweet, _really_ sweet. I was just surprised."

Her fingertips brushed his hair, hesitating for a second before sifting through the mess. "I dunno if I mentioned this, but I'm not really a surprises kind of girl."

Rick laughed, and she watched his shoulders lose some of their tension.

"And yet you're nothing but surprises, Kate Beckett."

Her head dipped at the compliment. "So you're babyproofing so we can come over here more."

Abandoning the crib box, Rick stretched to his full height. His hands slid over her hips, tugging her closer.

"Uh huh. Is that okay? I know it's a hassle to bring all of their stuff over for a little while, but I figured we could slowly get more so they'll have things in both places. If… that's what you want."

Feathering her fingers at his jaw, she kissed him slowly. "You want them to be comfortable here."

He hummed in agreement, thumbs sliding against the seams running down the sides of her yoga pants.

"Of course I do. And I want you to be comfortable here, too."

Affection flooded her, giving her no other choice than to snake an arm around his neck and pull him in for another kiss. In return, his arm banded around her back as his mouth slid against hers firmly, sharing her breath.

She pressed into him, into the hard, strong lines of his body, giving in to the ragged surge of need in her belly for just a moment.

"Thank you, Rick," she hummed, squeezing his neck gently. "I'm still getting used to sharing them. We don't even keep much at my dad's."

His finger coasted up and down her back, caressing, teasing, soothing. "Kate, I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable here. I just wanted to give you the option of bringing them over and letting me worry about scrambling to clean up and play hostess once in a while."

Kate laughed softly, pressing her forehead against his jaw. "You gonna wear an apron for me?"

"You want me to, Miss Beckett?" he teased, tugging her into another kiss. "I can pull off ruffles like you wouldn't believe."

Nipping at his lower lip, she couldn't help but agree.

"Mmm, I can see you in a pink one. Something that accentuates your figure." One hand dropped to trace the line of his side.

Rick shivered, bumping his chest against hers. Oh, had she found a ticklish spot? She'd have to explore this a little bit.

She watched his face as her fingers ghosted up his side and back down again, teasing underneath the hem of his t-shirt and slipping feather-light against his skin.

"Kate," he growled.

O – _oh_ ; it didn't tickle.

Her hands stilled, palm resting firmly against him. Which was probably also a terrible idea, but the warmth of his body kept her from pulling away.

"Sorry, sorry. No more teasing."

Still, his fingers flexed against her back, rucking her shirt up to gain access to her skin, too.

"Not while the children are awake anyway," he added at a near growl.

She fought to contain her own shiver. "Right. Children. Kids. Mine. Ours."

Fuck, how could he drive her insane with just a few simple touches? What would he do to her when they finally got to the point of se–

A clatter and Eli's agitated cry cut the rest of that thought off at the pass.

Somehow, Rick made it across the room before she even managed to get her feet to consider cooperating.

"What happened?" she demanded, joining them in time to see her son's pout disappear into his father's neck. "Is he okay? Is Anna?"

Anna looked on from her spot on butt, her fingers clasped against the edge of the coffee table and her eyes wide. Checking her over for bumps or bruises, Kate found nothing. However, she also found three books, a remote control, and two coasters at her feet.

"I think someone might've been trying to stand and clobbered him with something in the process," Rick murmured, surveying the contents of the floor. "Many things."

Well, at least everything there was relatively light, if not a little bit pointy. "Is he okay?" She dropped beside them, pressing a kiss into Anna's hair. Her strong-willed little girl; of course she was trying to stand.

She watched Rick's hand slide over the back of Eli's head and along his arms and legs, trying not to make it look like she was scrutinizing his parenting techniques.

"Little spot on his eyebrow, but other than that I'd say he's okay. More startled than anything, probably. But you're gonna bounce back, aren't you, Eli?"

He kissed the mark on their son's face before turning him to show her. The tension in her gut released; that wasn't bad, not at all. He'd bumped his head harder than that crawling under the coffee table at her place.

"Okay, baby," she breathed, rubbing his leg. "You stay with Daddy, and Miss Anna and I'll clean this up. Won't we?"

Anna looked up, already squirming onto her knees to try again. Kate waited, palm up, in case she needed to help keep the baby from tumbling into the table or onto the floor.

Determined little thing that she was, Anna prevailed, wobbling only a little bit before she found her balance.

Kate grinned, a surge of pride making her giddy enough to cup Anna's head and kiss all over her face.

"You're standing, baby girl. Rick, she's standing!"

She sounded ridiculous, like one of those overly gushy moms on TV, but she had to make sure Rick was watching. The twins had only _just_ started crawling, and already Anna was standing.

"I see, Kate, I see," he answered, but there was none of the teasing indulgence she'd expected in his tone. He sounded just as awed as she did.

Swiping her eyes quickly, she dropped another kiss against her daughter's hair. "Okay, don't move. I'm going to take a picture for Grandpa."

She fumbled, looking for her cell phone, only to remember leaving it on the coffee table at home. Damn it. She shouldn't leave it over there, either, in case the precinct called and needed her to come in for any reason.

Rick's appeared at her elbow. "You can email it to yourself or text it, or however you want to do it. And that way I have it, too."

Nodding, she pulled up the camera, taking more than a few pictures from every angle. She including almost a dozen of Rick and Eli, too. "Thanks," she breathed, sending about six of them to herself and her father at once.

"Of course." Rick tucked the phone back into his pocket once she was done with it. His hand slid down Eli's back soothingly. "What about you, Eli? Do you want to try standing?"

The little boy sighed, rubbing his face in his father's shirt. Kate smiled, tweaking Eli's foot gently.

Rick smiled, kissing the boy's forehead. "Maybe in a little bit, then," he assured, holding Eli tighter and looking in Anna's direction.

Yeah, like he'd ever turn down the opportunity to hold his kids. And he should have the opportunity to do so whenever he wanted. Not just when her door was open, or when she brought them to him.

"Do you…" she started, feeling her brow furrow as the words stalled between her brain and her mouth, "I mean, should we talk about… custody, or some kind of official agreement?"

Rick tilted his head, turning his attention from Anna to her. "Do you think we need to?"

"I, well I don't want you to feel like I'm keeping them from you."

"I don't feel that way, Kate. And I don't want you to think that's what this is – a play to make you feel guilty.

Nodding slowly, she tried handing Anna one of the coasters to return to its rightful place on the table. "No I know, I know. I'm just… making sure? Anyway, just – if you _do_ ever think we should – just tell me?"

She felt his hand slip into her hair, fingers pressing at her scalp to massage away her tension.

"Kate, I don't think we'll need to worry about it. Know why?"

"No?" Her eyes fluttered shut at the touch, only to pop open a moment later when Anna's little fingers touched her face.

"Because we're having this conversation right now. We're working together at this. Partners, almost. Don't you think?"

Her lips twisted upward. "Partners. Not just trying to sound like a cop, are you?"

"Me?" he feigned astonishment. "Never. We're partners in this, Kate."

"Kay." She kissed Anna's index finger before she could shove it into her mouth. "Can you put the remote back on the table, baby?"

Rick chuckled at her ability to multitask, ducking his head to kiss her. Kate sighed, relaxing against his lips; he was so confident, so sure, she just had to let herself trust in that, in him.

"There is one thing I need to tell you, though," he mumbled, his breath puffing against her lips.

Her stomach dropped like a stone. She _hated_ conversations that started that way.

"Wha –what?" She clamped down on her lip, locking down the desire to ask what was wrong.

"I don't know how to assemble the crib," he confessed, huffing when she smacked his shoulder. Whatever, it was a tap and it served him right for scaring her like that.

"So did Alexis sleep on the floor or something? Since you don't know how to assemble a crib?"

He laughed again, harder this time. "No, Meredith uh, made me pay the delivery people to put it together."

"I see. So this handyman act was just to get me hot and bothered, but there wasn't actually going to be any follow through?"

Rick's eyes narrowed. "Don't mock me when I'm asking for help. And trust me, Kate, there will _always_ be follow through for that."

She snorted. "What makes you think I know how to put it together?"

He shifted Eli, kissing the faint pink mark above his eye. It would be gone by bedtime, thankfully.

"Because knowing you, when you were seven months pregnant, you took it as a personal challenge and put both cribs together at two in the morning."

Her eyes narrowed playfully. "I wish. It would've been eight months when I did the cribs, but I was in bed for the last month or so before they arrived because of my blood pressure. Dad only let me leave for bathroom breaks and doctor's appointments."

Rick looked contrite. "Sorry, I shouldn't have mocked –"

Rising to her feet, she dropped a kiss in his hair. "Totally tried to sneak out of bed and help, though, so I got this."

She winked, sneaking a smooch from her son and her daughter on her way back to the crib box. When she looked back at him, he was smiling again.

"So where exactly are you going to put this?" she asked a minute later, tugging the pieces out of the box, taking great care not to smack them on the floor or scratch them against each other.

"I've been using the dining nook as my office, so I figured it's quiet enough that they'll be able to sleep in there. Unless you'd rather set it up in my bedroom? So they're closer if they stay overnight?"

The twins had slept with her at first, just out of practicality, but once they'd been moved to their own room, she couldn't see moving them back, even at his place. She loved her kids, of course, but she didn't want them in the room with her every night. Especially not if she and Rick were going to have sex again sometime.

"Only if you want to condition them to having us in the room," she hummed, already opening the directions.

"Us?" he repeated, his voice cracking on one word. Her head snapped up. Damn, she'd said too much.

Her cheeks reddened. "Well, you, me, Alexis, whoever. They don't sleep in my room anymore, unless it's a bad night. So," she stopped, looking away. "Shut up."

Rick was already laughing. "Kate," he sing-songed. "Are you thinking about sex at a time like this?"

He slid onto the couch, propping his feet on the table on either side of Anna. He turned to the twins. "Mommy's thinking about sex right now. Maybe I should cover your ears so she can continue."

Anna laughed, slumping onto one of Rick's bracketing legs.

"Yeah, you tell your Daddy he's being silly, Anna," Kate called. "And I am _not_ thinking about sex."

Well, not anymore.

"Uh huh, I think you are. I think you're thinking about rocking my world so hard, I'll forget my name and address."

Her fingers closed around a throw pillow, giving him only a moment's warning before she launched it at his head. Eli giggled, pitching halfway out of his father's arms to reach the prize.

"Do _not_ tell your children that, Richard Castle."

"Yes, dear."

She rolled her eyes when he stage whispered. "I'll tell you guys if you want. It was a great night for us; we made you."

"Yes we did, but that doesn't make it appropriate conversation. Now, do you have tools?"

He lifted innocent eyes to hers. "Um, I have some?"

"Where, _honey_?" She smirked, shifting her weight and watching his eyes follow the motion of her hips.

"Under the sink, I think?"

Shaking her head, she abandoned the crib assembly instructions and made her way to the kitchen. "You think? Did you not reassemble your beds when you moved in?"

"Yes, smarty pants. I did both as a matter of fact. And then I put the tools away."

"Uh huh. In the kitchen," she teased, closing her hand around the small toolkit. "Kay, before I get started, I'm going to go grab my phone and diapers for them. They'll need them soon, no doubt."

"And we're making that my job?"

She dropped the tools on the floor, lifting a shoulder. "You wanna build the crib?"

His chin lowered. "Touché."

"I'll be back in a sec." She blew Anna a kiss. "Oh, you're using Daddy as a bouncer now. Eli, do you wanna bounce, too?"

Rick glowered at her, but helped the baby bob in his arms. "There, two bouncing babies."

"Uh huh, two bouncing babies. I'll be back."

She returned a few minutes later to find the bouncing was over and the twins had curled up on the couch with their father. He'd turned on the TV, but the volume was low enough to tell her it was really for background noise, not to entertain them.

He offered her a lopsided grin when she set the wipes and diapers down on the table. "Figured you wouldn't mind the noise of the TV. We're about to have story time because I was getting a knee ache."

Leaning over the twins, she kissed their little cheeks. "Don't break Daddy, please. I'm gonna need him in good working order."

Rick looked scandalized. "Again with the sex talk."

There was no point in denying it – that _had_ most definitely been sex talk. Instead, she braced herself against the back of the couch, catching his mouth sharply.

She felt his swift intake of breath as her tongue slid over his lip. "You want to be in full working order, Rick, I promise you that," she husked, pulling away.

He blinked, a little dazed, but he'd received her message loud and clear.

"Definitely not putting them in my bedroom."

"Good choice," she praised, kneeling to open the toolkit and get to work.

* * *

She felt him studying her every move as she worked. With anyone else it would've been creepy – and it was still a little disconcerting with him – but she just let him have his fun, staying quiet while he told the twins a story that ranged from silly to downright absurd at times. He'd given the kids starring roles as ninja pirate royalty, and launched them on a quest to save the world from alien invaders.

He only stopped talking when the babies dozed off in his arms. Twin drool spots grew on his chest, but each time she glanced at him, he seemed content in spite of that.

"Rick?" she called, once she was finally finished working.

His eyes shot up from her ass to meet hers. "Hmm?"

Her eyebrow lifted.

"I'm sorry, you're just so _sexy_ with an Allen wrench in your hand."

What a cheesy line. That should not work on her. And yet, arousal still stirred in her belly.

"Yeah, yeah. Mattress?"

"In my room. You want me to get it?"

Shaking her head, she ignored the thrill of being in his bedroom for the first time. "I'll grab it. You have your hands full and I'm going to move the crib into the nook before I put the mattress down anyway."

He nodded, pressing his lips to Anna's forehead. "We'll be here."

She returned a few minutes later, having stolen a throw blanket out of a pile of linens he apparently hadn't gotten around to putting away. It would work until she could bring over sheets for the crib.

"Do you mind?" she asked, doubling back to him, holding the blanket out for his inspection. "For the crib tonight and I'll bring a set of sheets over tomorrow after work. I should be home at a reasonable time it we don't catch a case. My captain usually kicks me out if it gets too late."

Rick nodded. "No complaints. I can look for some of Alexis's, too. So we don't need to buy more, either."

"Kay." It was beyond adorable that he'd saved his daughters things like that. "Thanks."

He fixed her with a look, making her sigh. "I know, I know, stop saying that. You're being a dad."

Rick chuckled, standing gingerly and carrying the twins to her.

"Are they going to be okay napping this late?"

"Mmm." She took Eli first, smoothing her lips over his forehead before lowering him to the mattress. "They'll be okay. You've seen the routine we have. It's the least strict routine ever. As long as we get some food in them before their bedtime bottle, we'll be okay."

"Kay." He settled Anna at the opposite end, brushing her hair with a gentle hand.

Kate leaned into him, resting her head in the crease of his shoulder as soon as he straightened up.

"Will you think less of me if I take you up on that dinner you were talking about earlier?"

Rick's chuckle rumbled under her ear. "I was going to ask if you wanted to eat before they wake up or after."

"After's okay. Do you have work you need to be doing? I can go grab a book from across the hall if you do."

She wouldn't mind resting beside him as he typed away at his computer. She hadn't felt that kind of ease in years, not since the days she and her mother would read together, draped across the couches in the living room, but she felt it with him. Rick made it easy to be together and do nothing at the same time.

"No, no. I finished my articles earlier and I'm waiting for more feedback on the new manuscript before I continue. I just want to make sure they're serious about keeping me on before I get too far into it and have to shop around again."

"Oh." That was smart of him. She was sure his current publisher would agree to publish the new book, but it was good of him to have a contingency plan.

She hoped her kids had that same persistence.

"Will you teach them?" she asked abruptly, lifting her head.

Rick turned, brushing his thumb under her sleeve.

"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Your persistence, your patience. Will you teach them that?"

His confusion relaxed into a smile. "Of course, Kate. But I don't corner the market on persistence, you know. From what you've told me about your mom, about getting your dad help, joining the police force, even about having two kids all on your own – though not anymore, because I'm here – you're pretty damn persistent, too. When you come up against a wall, you don't let go. You don't back down. That's what makes you extraordinary."

Lifting onto her toes, she silenced his spiel with the press of her mouth and the light nip of her teeth.

"I was trying to compliment you," she growled, shoving him gently toward the couch.

Rick chuckled against her lips, his hands skimming down her sides. "I'd rather say nice things about you."

"Well stop." She kissed him again, rubbing her nose over his. "It's your turn."

Her fingers curled in his shirt, using the grip to steer him to the couch.

"I can't… can't argue with that."

"Uh huh," she hummed, slipping one hand down his chest and hooking her fingers in his waistband. His breath quickened immediately.

"Whatcha doin' there, Detective?"

She pulled him closer, nipping at his lip again. "If you have to ask, Mr. Castle, it has been too long."

"Well, yes, but – mhmm. You make excellent points and I will be shutting up right now."

He shuddered at the brush of her fingers. Her own heart pounded, desire making it hard to focus on anything but the man in front of her. The man whose lap she'd slid into as soon as his ass hit the cushions.

She wasn't having sex with him. Not tonight, not while the twins were napping just feet away, but it didn't mean they wouldn't get their fill of kissing, of remembering each other's touch. They had time to get back to sex; tonight she wanted to sit in his lap and see what made his eyes darken, what made his breath unsteady.

It would be the fun part of going slow.

And judging by the heavy-lidded look he was giving her, Rick agreed.

"So, a sleepover, huh?" she asked, nuzzling her nose against his neck. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"You wanna talk about Alexis right now?" he groaned, hands slipping under her shirt.

"No," she conceded, arching into his chest, encouraging the warm slide of his hands. "I want you to come home with me and I'm checking your curfew."

He puffed a laugh against her throat, grazing his teeth just hard enough to make her mewl.

"Or you could stay here. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I have a functioning alarm; it'll wake you in time for work. Bring clothes over after dinner. For you and the twins. Hell, you don't even need to take them to daycare tomorrow. I'll watch them."

Leaning back against his knees, she took the opportunity to breathe and study him. Was he serious?

His eyes were dark, arousal thrumming through his fingers, coursing through his blood.

"Rick…" Did he know what he was offering? What he was getting himself into?

"Right, shit. No kid talk when you're sitting where you are."

Laughter bubbled up, spilling from her lips softly as she rocked forward, cupping his scruff-roughened cheeks. His fingers tightened against her back. "Dinner talk. This is dinner talk. Kiss me now."

"Kissing you now," he agreed.

* * *

 _A/N: Once again, thank you for all of your support. I haven't been good at saying so personally, but every comment, every share, every follow, every little bit of support fills me up. Thank you!_


	6. Chapter 6

_You guys blow me away each and every chapter. Thank you so much._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Six**

* * *

Three am.

Once upon a time, she'd been used to three am wake up calls. Once upon a time she'd even sort of enjoyed waking up at three am. She'd enjoyed being the only one out in the world while most people slept (unless of course she was patrolling Times Square, because then it was as awful and hectic as always). It had been calming, made her feel like she could take on anything in that moment.

Then, of course, she'd had children, and three am became the preferred feeding and rocking time for not one, but both of them. Middle of the night jaunts lost their appeal after the third or fourth night of constant crying in her ear. At that point, all she wanted to do was enjoy the comfort of her bed. She could take on the world during the day.

Heaving a sigh, she did her best to be pleasant to the poor person at dispatch who'd pulled the graveyard shift. It wasn't their fault she'd grown spoiled with not getting many late night calls.

"I'll be there," she mumbled, jotting the address down with sleep-clumsy fingers. "I just gotta drop my kids off with a sitter. Yeah, I'll tell the team myself."

It wasn't a lie or a stall; she had to drop them off with someone. In the past, she'd taken them to her father's for the few hours until their daycare opened, but now she was reconsidering waking him in the middle of the night to help her out. Now she had someone else she could call on to help. She had Rick and he had jumped into all of this with her. He'd bought a crib, a playpen that took up half of his living room, and a set of high chairs, just to keep at his place. He'd even suggested that he watch the twins on normal days instead of paying for daycare (and the only reason she'd put him off so far _was_ because of the rather absurd monthly fee).

But showing up at three in the morning was still a stretch, wasn't it? No matter how willing he was to take them during daylight hours, coming to him at three in the morning had to be pushing it.

On the other hand, he _had_ missed out on most of the late night tears and diaper changes. Maybe it was his turn.

Okay, yeah. It was Daddy's turn to handle any middle of the night insanity.

Decision made, she felt better. The commute was easy, the fee nominal, especially for just a few hours before daycare opened.

If only she could find her pants and more than one of her socks, she could get the ball rolling. She desperately needed to do laundry, or to at least fold the laundry she'd done last week and put it away. Wait, was it last week? Or was it two weeks ago? They'd been spending so much time at Rick's place, she'd lost control of her own apartment.

Pain flared in her little toe and radiated through the rest of her foot, startling her out of her musings, forcing her to bite back a curse. It didn't matter when she'd done the laundry; she needed to get the damn basket out of the middle of her bedroom floor. Fuck, that hurt.

As grateful as she was that the twins had started sleeping through the night consistently, the lack of late night adventures had made her slow, complacent. She was so out of practice for early morning calls.

Finding her phone in her crumpled bed covers, Kate couldn't help but wish she'd taken Rick up on the offer to stay over after dinner. They'd spent fewer than a handful of nights together, but had she agreed last night, they would already be at his place and she wouldn't have to wake her kids up so she could get to work. She'd just have to wake Rick by rolling over and asking for a favor.

But she hadn't, citing his daughter's confusion if she woke up to find the three of them there, and here they were.

Instead of calling Rick, she opted to text, tapping out her request at her bathroom sink, her wet toothbrush clenched in her other hand. As soon as it appeared to be sent, she popped the brush into her mouth, scrubbing the night away with vigor.

Makeup was the next step, unless she wanted to go to work without it, but the idea of turning on a light made her head throb. Maybe she could do it using the phone.

She lifted the phone over her head, testing it out. Well, that wasn't great, but maybe it was just a bad angle.

Trying it under her chin yielded the same ghoulish results. Nope. That would be a terrible plan. As soon as she finished brushing her teeth, she'd bite the bullet and hit the vanity light.

Hopefully by then she would also have a reply to her text. Some night owl Rick was. Last night he'd been up writing until almost four, he'd said, but tonight he was apparently passed out.

Wiping the rest of the sleep from her eyes, she gave in and hit the lights.

Yeah, that was painful. Quite painful. But it would get the job done. Glancing at her phone and finding it stubbornly silent, she grabbed her foundation.

She'd just made the final pass with her mascara wand when her phone chimed. It wasn't one of the boys, it was that stupid bubble ringer Rick had convinced her to change his contact to so she would always know when he was texting or calling.

Finally.

Reaching for the device, Beckett breathed a sigh of relief. She'd woken him, but he was more than happy to have his babies brought to him. That was good; all that was left was to gather their things and get the twins ready to go.

Of course, she _could_ always just leave Rick with the basics and a key to the apartment, giving him the responsibility of retrieving anything else they might need. At this time of night, they wouldn't need much; just diapers and bottles.

That would make it easier, definitely. She trusted him with her children; she could trust him with her house key. And - _shit_ \- yeah, she'd have to do that. She was late. Very late, and she still had to get the twins out of their cribs and to Rick's, preferably without waking them.

She'd have to use the stroller if she wanted to have a hope of that happening. Lifting one sleeping baby was hard enough, lifting the second with only one arm was damn near impossible.

Thankfully, the twins stirred when she lifted them out of their beds, but didn't wake. Not even fussy Miss Anna, who relaxed into her throne without protest. With them secured, Kate was able to grab their things without breaking her back. She looked ridiculous steering a stroller through her apartment hallway at three in the morning, but it got the job done and everyone involved seemed reasonably content, so she couldn't bring herself to care.

Rick must've been waiting by the door, because he opened up just moments after her notification of their arrival went through.

"You're a lifesaver," she breathed, stretching over the stroller canopy to press her mouth to his, sloppy and quick. "I'm sorry I had to wake you."

"S'okay," he rumbled, taking the diaper bag from her shoulder with clumsy hands. He stepped back to let her navigate the stroller inside, only to stumble into the handle upon closing the front door. His grunt made her wince.

Maybe he wasn't entirely awake, after all.

"I can't stay long, but I can help you put them in bed if you want. On top of the bottles and diapers, I put a key to our place in the bag so you can take them over and get them changed for the day. All of the daycare information is in there, too. Directions, their number, hours, all of theat. I'll let you know if I… if I'll need you to pick them up, if that's okay? I'll call and add you to the approved list, don't worry."

Rick blinked, no doubt trying and failing to absorb every word she was saying. The poor guy needed to go back to sleep.

He looked so cute in his threadbare NYU t-shirt and boxers; she couldn't help but lift a hand to smooth his bedhead down. His eyes fluttered shut, and he leaned into her ministrations.

"Why don't I call you at a reasonable hour and repeat all of this?" she offered softly, thumbing his ear.

"Mmm, no. No, I got it." He blinked, clearing the fog from his eyes. "Key to your place, address of their daycare, you'll get me on the list, bottles, and diapers. See? Got it. But uh, do you think maybe I can just keep them home today? We'll walk Alexis to school and then come back here? No daycare for today?"

Her phone buzzed on her hip, reminding her she needed to be somewhere. Somewhere other than Rick Castle's living room, wishing she could take him by the hand and tug him and his Mickey Mouse sleep shorts to bed.

"I've never had them for an entire day," he added, looking hopeful.

Fuck, he hadn't. He really hadn't. She'd left them with him for showers and short runs to the store, but never an entire day.

"Kay, no daycare for today. I'll leave a message on their machine so they'll know the twins won't be there."

"Thanks, Kate."

"No thanking me. They're your kids, too," she promised, lifting onto her toes and kissing his mouth quickly. It didn't completely satisfy the urge to curl into his body and listen to him breathe, but it tempered the desire a bit. "I'll see you later."

"Have a good case," he murmured, coming back for another kiss. "I'll call if we need anything."

"Okay" she agreed, leaning over and stroking her fingers down Anna and Eli's cheeks. "Be good for your daddy, guys. He doesn't know what he's in for." Straightening, she winked at her boyfriend. "Teething rings are in the bag, too. I'll see you later."

Moving to the door, she forced herself to check her phone instead of watching Rick squat beside the stroller and greet his children. She really wouldn't leave if she watched that.

"See you later," he echoed, waving. Idly, she waved back.

As she stepped into the hall, she was pretty sure she heard him say, "Don't tell mommy, but we're gonna sleep in the big bed until it's time to wake Alexis for school."

Kate sighed affectionately. Of course they would.

* * *

The first picture came in at 7:45.

She'd been sitting at her desk for the last hour and a half, nursing a cup of coffee so terrible it defied logic, when her phone buzzed. Thankfully, the boys were at their desks, already running their victim's financials, and they paid her no mind when she lifted her phone to see what Rick had sent her.

If anyone heard her snort, they didn't comment.

Where did he even _get_ those outfits? She certainly hadn't bought them, so they had to be something he'd bought and stashed away for the opportune moment.

She wouldn't have chosen them, but she couldn't think of protesting.

Anna's was yellow with blue, sunny and cheerful, the opposite of her sleepy scowl. Eli's was blue with yellow, and Kate saw his little tongue poking between his lips. He was far more receptive to mornings than his sister was. Always had been. There was a reason he was older, after all.

Jesus, their kids were cute. Even in semi-matching onesies in their stroller on a Tuesday morning.

A second picture came in just a moment later; Alexis in a similar outfit, walking beside the stroller without a care in the world. Oh, they were on their way to school.

Their first outing with just their dad and their sister.

And it was adorable.

She replied saying as much, saving the pictures to her phone for future reference. She knew her head needed to be in the game for this case, not at home with Rick and the kids, but knowing that wouldn't stop her from sneaking glances at the pictures every so often.

She was in charge of finding and notifying the victim's next of kin, and so far she hadn't been able to locate anyone. Her plan was to go back to the vic's apartment in daylight and start knocking on doors. Maybe the building super would know of an emergency contact she could reach.

After an unimpressive canvas, she'd headed to the morgue to hear Lanie's preliminary exam results. The ME had just taken a breath when the second set of pictures came in, pulling a breathy laugh from Kate's lips.

The kids were in their high chairs in Rick's kitchen, and they were covered from head to toe in… what the hell was that?

The explanation came in a second later.

 _Made baby-safe play-doh. Edible, though still a little nasty. We're still working on creating things instead of throwing or eating them._

Pressing her lips together, she fought the urge to cackle. Especially when he added,

 _I think I have some in my ear. Eli got me with both hands when I was cleaning. He just wanted a kiss, though. It was really cute._

Jeez, that was really cute. Her sweet baby boy.

"Kate Beckett, what are you giggling about?"

Oops. She was… usually she was much more stoic, especially when she was standing beside a victim's body.

"I, ah, the twins." She showed her the picture. "They're… adventures in play-doh."

Lanie's coo wasn't unexpected, but the appraising look she gave the picture a moment later was. Kate had expected her to be overwhelmed by how ridiculously cute the kids were with their green fingers and cheeks and broad smiles and ignore their surroundings. Instead, she looked to be hot on a new lead.

"Where are they?"

"Oh, they're with their –" she cut off quickly, as the word 'father' formed on her lips.

"Their…?" Lanie's eyes narrowed. "Kate, what aren't you telling me?"

She could say a babysitter, but Rick was so much more than a babysitter. So much more than just a nanny or a caregiver.

"They're with my boyfriend, okay?" Even that explanation downplayed his importance, but it was probably the easiest way to describe the situation without going into the entire story.

Her friend's face blanked. "Your – okay, back up, back up. When did a _boyfriend_ happen, first off, and when did said boyfriend earn babysitting privileges?"

"Lanie," she sighed, shifting from foot to foot. "I shouldn't have said anything while I'm working."

"Nah uh, none of that. I'm finished here and you said you're waiting on a call back from Mr. Ange's super. Name, information, details - go."

She glanced around the room, noting the traffic just outside the doors. "Can we at least go sit in your office or something? So half the city doesn't know by the end of the day?"

Lanie eyed her for a moment before nodding. "Move, Beckett. I need to hear this."

Wanting to get it over with, she started as soon as the door closed behind them, "You remember the date I had a little while ago?"

"Uh huh. About a month and a half ago? The date I had to stop you from cancelling even after you'd asked your dad to babysit."

"Uh huh. That's the one."

Lanie nodded, perching on her desk. "That's the guy?"

Slumping into the chair in front of her, she nodded. "That's the guy. Rick. Rick's the guy."

Kate watched Lanie's eyebrow shoot up. " _Is_ he now? _The_ guy?"

"No! Not like _that_ ," she sputtered, trying to steer the conversation back to safer territory. Territory that wouldn't make her brain wage war with her heart. Territory that wouldn't make her wonder how soon was too soon to think her slip might actually be true. "He's the guy from the _date_. We're still seeing each other."

"You really hit it off, huh?"

"Well," she hedged, pulling her lip between her teeth. She shouldn't tell Lanie first. Her dad should know before her friend. _Alexis_ should know before her friend.

But Lanie knew her; there was no way she would trust her kids to _just_ a boyfriend, especially not one she'd been dating for less than six months. "We'd met before. Before the day at the elevator and before the date."

Lanie blinked. "Well that's news. Why didn't you tell me that before?"

"I know. Sorry. I just… here. It's easier if you see him."

She reached for her phone, unclipping it from her belt and finding one of the pictures she'd taken of Rick and the twins. One that showed their faces. She saw the resemblance between them perfectly; others had to see it, too.

Damn it, they really needed to tell people soon.

"Before I show you… you're the first person I've told. My dad doesn't know yet. The rest of Rick's family doesn't know yet."

"The rest?"

"His mother and his daughter. Alexis. She's seven and adorable. But we haven't told anyone yet."

"Told anyone what? That you're dating?"

Kate shook her head, handing the phone over to her friend gingerly. "No, they know we're dating. They just don't know… that."

She bit her lip, waiting for the moment her friend understood everything she was and wasn't saying.

"Kate…"

"Yeah," she breathed, reaching out and swiping to another picture. "He's their dad. He… I don't even know how it worked out the way it did, but I was bringing them home one day and he was moving his things into an apartment on my floor. He recognized me, I recognized him, and we just went from there."

"And what the hell happened? What was his excuse for you not even being able to contact him?"

Kate laughed, shaking her head. "A nine instead of a four. That's what the hell happened." She didn't give her friend a chance to ask what that meant. "I was pissed at first, but he wasn't lying, Lanie. It really was just some stupid mistake when he wrote his number that night. And then he met the twins and fell in love, and I just… well of course I wasn't going to keep them from him. Not when he wanted to be there."

Lanie smiled, looking back at the picture. "Who wouldn't fall in love with those little faces? They get cuter every day, I swear."

Chuckling, she shook her head again. She couldn't argue with that. "He was in awe of them, Lanie. I wish I'd taken a picture that night, too."

"And what about you? Is he in awe of you, too?"

The memory of the other night, of his hands on her, his fingers splayed against her skin flickered through her mind. His touch was never anything but reverent, never anything but awed.

"I'm… I think so."

"You think so? But you don't know so? So do you think this is just because of the babies?"

"No! No, no. Not even close. You know me. I wouldn't date him just because of the twins, and he feels the same, I know that. He's…" she lowered her voice and her chin, remembering Rick's touch again.

Lanie grinned. "Oh, I know that face, Kate. You _like_ him."

"I do," she admitted. "He's great, Lanie. He's funny and smart, and we clicked from the beginning. We really clicked."

Her friend looked down at the picture again. "I'll bet you did. Look at him. The doting daddy thing is _hot_. It's no wonder you weren't fighting letting him see the twins after so long."

"Lanie," she chided. "It's not just that. He's a writer – a published author. I read his first book and it was fantastic. His second one's in the final stages of editing, and he's already working on another one."

The ME nodded thoughtfully.

"He's sweet," she added, rubbing her thumb over her knuckles. "He either cooks, offers to cook, or brings over food nearly every night. And we spend so much time talking –"

"Talking," her friend hummed, looking pleased at the idea. "No wonder you've been in such a good mood lately."

"Actually talking," Beckett replied quickly, taking her phone back to see another message, this time from Ryan. She had to do some actual work now, apparently. "Just talking."

"Uh huh."

One corner of her lip turned up. "Maybe some making out." A lot of making out. On his couch, her couch, in his bed and in hers. "But as I was saying, we spend so much time talking, I go to bed hoarse some nights."

Her friend's answering eyebrow wiggle made her sigh; she should've known where she would take that one.

"Cute, Lanie, cute. It's not like that, yet. Anyway, I gotta go; that was Ryan. Thank you for the information."

"Thank you for the baby pictures. And the eye-candy. They certainly brightened my day. In different ways, of course, but they both did."

Kate rolled her eyes. Lanie wasn't wrong, though. Looking at her boyfriend with her kids _did_ make her happier.

"And tell my little doodlebugs that Aunt Lanie's coming to see them soon."

She smiled, tapping the door handle quickly. Lanie was more of a baby person than she was, always had been. "Dinner tomorrow if you get off-shift in time? I'll cook that pasta you like." Between work and the twins, she and Lanie never got together anymore. If anything, their conversation made it clear that they were way overdue for some girl talk.

Lanie grinned. "You're on, Kate. Now, is this just us, or will I get to meet your writer boy, too? Because I want to discuss that _yet_ you slipped in there."

"Just us this time, but I'm sure you'll see him at some point. And I have no idea what you mean."

She left her friend's office to her protests of that not being fair.

* * *

Her day finally ended many frustrating hours later. After a slow start, her case had completely stalled. By all accounts, the victim was a hardworking – if not generic – man with barely any friends, let alone enemies. His super had provided her with a number for an aunt he'd lived with until he was twenty-three, but they hadn't spoken in over ten years after simply losing touch. She hadn't been able to find any evidence of him having a falling out with anyone. There were no angry exes on record. They hadn't even found a speck of debt to indicate he'd been in over his head with a bookie. The man was just there one day and gone the next.

She hated it. She hated having nothing to show from her day. She hated not having answers for Mr. Ange's loved ones, few though they were. They deserved better than that. Mr. Ange deserved better than that.

Tomorrow would start far too early, but she was going to dig deeper. She was going to find something or someone to explain why an innocent man had been stabbed in the park and left to die.

The only bright spot to the entire day had been the pictures Rick had sent her. There were more of the play-doh adventures, of course, half a dozen more. Once that had been cleaned up, she'd received a series of "working" shots. He insisted he had been able to get his writing done, but the pictures of the twins at his computer (and snuggled on his chest, and bouncing on his legs) made her dubious that the arrangement was productive for him.

But, even if it hadn't been a prolific day, he beamed at her when she let herself into her apartment. Standing in her kitchen, watching Alexis read what sounded like a book for school to her brother and sister, he looked thrilled. Tired, and she could still see a hint of green to his skin thanks to the play-doh, but thrilled. Somehow that was enough to take her concerns and her tension and wash them away.

"Hey, Kate."

Hanging up her jacket, she took a moment to exhale, to let the day go and allow herself to focus on the people in front of her.

Turning around once more, she smiled. "Hey. What are you reading, Alexis?"

She knelt, looping an arm around Alexis for a loose hug before offering her babies kisses of their own. All three of the children giggled, but otherwise ignored her in favor of their book.

"It's _Mrs. Piggle Wiggle_ , Kate," Alexis explained, leaning her head against Beckett for a moment before going back to reading.

"It is, huh?" Beckett hummed, offering Anna her hand. The baby latched on immediately, pushing her fingers into her mouth, letting her feel the bump of another tooth coming in. Kate winced. Anna didn't seem to be in pain, and neither did Eli, which made her think Rick had already applied the Orajel somewhat liberally. He'd hear no argument from her. "I think I remember that book."

"Yeah, it's good. We read it in class and I asked if I could borrow a copy and bring it home to read to the babies… and Daddy."

Kate laughed at Rick's scandalized " _Hey_!"

"And Daddy? Because he's fussy sometimes, huh?"

"Yep." The girl popped her lips, giggling. "Especially about bedtime."

Snickering again, Kate pulled her hands away. "I'm just going to change clothes. Then you can read to me, too."

She stole another round of kisses from the twins before dropping a peck in Alexis's hair and standing. Rick was still watching them from the kitchen, a dishcloth thrown over one shoulder as he stirred whatever concoction he was working on.

"Hey," she greeted, making a sharp turn to go to him instead of heading down the hallway to her bedroom.

Rick's arm curled around her waist, immediately drawing her closer. Pressing her nose against his shirt, she allowed herself a moment to relax into him. She could get used to coming home to warmth and laughter, contentment and – dare she say it – love.

If not love, basil garlic pesto at the very least. Yum.

Rick's mouth slid across her forehead. "The kids have been fed already, even Alexis. This is for us. It'll go on the chicken in a sec, and then over some rice? If that's okay?"

Nuzzling his jaw, she hummed. "Sounds delicious. It smells delicious. Thank you for doing all of this. For today and everything. And the pictures."

She felt him grin. "Today was great, Kate. And I know you're paid up on daycare for a little while, but once you're not, I'd love to do it again. Even if it's only for half the week or something."

Swiping her lips over his skin, she nodded. "Okay," she agreed, refusing to let the voice in her head that always insisted it was _her_ responsibility win out. The day had obviously gone well; the twins enjoyed playing at daycare and it was good for them to be around other babies, she knew, but from the pictures, they'd seemed even happier to be in their father's care. "Let's do it."

Rick grinned, tipping her chin to press his mouth to hers, pouring his relief into the kiss. She felt herself smile in return, slicking her tongue over his lip before pulling away.

"I'll talk about the options when I drop them off tomorrow. Maybe I can pull them back to three days a week? Or two? With the option to bring them in if you need time to work?"

She lifted her eyes to his, swiping her thumb against a still-green spot on his cheek.

"Food coloring," he explained needlessly, leaning into her affection. "I brought the play-doh out again to show Alexis. And whatever you want to do is fine. Three days, two days, I'm game for anything."

"Ah. Kay, I'll see what they say tomorrow." She rocked on her feet, kissing him once more. "I'm gonna jump in the shower before I change, think dinner will keep until I'm done?"

His fingers tightened against her back. "Dinner will absolutely keep until then."

"Thanks." Taking a step back took more effort than she'd expected it to. "I'll get the dishes tonight, too. Pull my weight a little bit."

Rick's fingertips caressed her wrist, sending sparks ricocheting up her arm.

"Go relax, Kate. You're pulling your weight just fine. And carrying the weight of others, too, from the looks of it."

His mouth brushed her brow, somehow calming even as it fanned the embers of want in her belly.

"Mmm, something like that. I'll tell you later if you want. Once everyone's asleep." Which would be soon for the twins, judging by the tired bow of their heads. Rick had worn them out and Alexis was lulling them into slumber without even trying.

"Absolutely," he confirmed without hesitation.

"Kay," she agreed, slipping away. Already she felt balanced. Centered.

"And maybe I'll be able to help you break your case," he called to her back, eagerness infusing every word. "I am something of a mystery buff, you know. I could totally help."

"Maybe. But I'm still not letting you wear my badge or drive my cruiser, bud," she returned, her upturned lips betraying her amusement. Maybe one day she would let him wear her badge. Maybe. But it absolutely wouldn't be for police business.

His almost-knowing laughter followed her as she ducked into her bedroom and began shedding her clothes.

* * *

 _A/N: Hopefully I'm back on track, schedule wise, but as always, thank you for being patient with me as I handle real life as well._


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you, thank you, thank you all for being so wonderful and patient with me. I cannot begin to express how much your support means to me._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Seven**

* * *

People often swore that men were oblivious to feelings, that it took a glaring neon sign to alert them to discontent around them, or that they needed it spelled out slowly when a loved one was upset, but he liked to think he was a step above the rest.

For instance, he knew something was on his daughter's mind without needing any outside assistance. He could tell just by the tension in her face, in her hug.

The first time he'd picked her up with the twins in tow, she'd been delighted. It had been exciting and fun, and she'd babbled to the babies about her day the entire way home. The second time the three of them picked her up from school, her reaction had been more subdued. She'd perked up moments later, kissing him and then moving to sneak slobbery kisses from the twins, but he'd noticed. He'd observed a similar reaction when he picked her up yesterday, but he hadn't yet asked her about it. It was important to let her come to him with her concerns.

"Daddy, can I ask you something?"

Ah, and there it was. He'd had a feeling she'd been saving her questions for a time when they were alone.

It was just them for the night. Kate had taken the babies to have their weekly dinner with her father, bringing them by for a quick hello on their way out. Cooking for two felt odd after so many weeks of meals for three (or more, since leftovers meant Kate had something to take to work for lunch the next day), but he'd kept it simple with chicken strips and homemade mac and cheese.

"Of course, pumpkin. Ask me anything."

Dropping the dishtowel, Rick slid into the chair across from his daughter. Smoothing a damp palm over the crown of her head, he dipped his chin to get her eyes.

"What's on your mind, honey?"

He watched her brow furrow in concentration, the way it did when she was choosing her words very carefully.

"You said we're gonna watch the twins more, right?"

Rick nodded slowly, wondering if perhaps he should've paid more attention when he asked her if it was okay to add babyproofing to their apartment and to volunteer himself as a babysitter a few days a week. She'd been enthusiastic both times, and he thought he'd been doing relatively well so far with splitting his attention between the twins and his daughter, but maybe that wasn't the case. Maybe with the end of the school year looming, Alexis was worried how much 'dad' time she would get out of the deal with two little ones underfoot.

"We are. Two or three times a week while Kate's at work, and then some weekends if she needs us."

Well, they hadn't really talked about weekends, but he had to assume Kate would bring the babies to him if she had to work. There was always her dad, but –

"Are you going to be their new daddy?" Alexis asked, releasing a hearty puff of air, tearing him from his musings.

"Am I going to be their new daddy?" he repeated, blinking at the question.

Alexis nodded, confirming that he'd heard her right even as she looked away. He watched her shift in her chair, her thin arms squeaking across the tabletop as she squirmed. It was her move when she was unsure.

Damn it, he'd messed up, hadn't he? He'd been so caught up in getting to know Kate and working to weave their lives together in a way that worked for all of them, he'd put something important on the backburner: telling Alexis.

He'd been good – he thought, at least – about only being 'daddy' in front of the twins when Alexis said it first. Kate had been good at it too, barring a few slip-ups that had seemed to go unnoticed by his daughter. Neither of them had wanted to open that door and answer those questions before they'd even established a real routine, but it was time. It was past time.

And if Kate's friend Lanie knew, then his daughter needed to know, too.

A part of him wondered if Kate should be included in the discussion, but she was still out and maybe it was better if it did come from him alone.

"Well," he started, reaching a hand out for his firstborn, his baby. Her fingers slipped into the curve of his palm, cool to the touch as always. "Not exactly, sweetheart."

He watched tiny frown lines mar the delicate skin of her forehead. "What's that mean, Daddy?"

"That means…" Crap, there really wasn't a delicate way to tell a seven year old that she had been hanging out with her brother and sister for almost two months, was there?

"Do you remember when you met Kate and the twins in the hall?"

"Uh huh, when you were _flirting_ instead of helping," she teased, giggling at his faux dismay.

"I never, daughter." He let her laugh at his expense for another moment more before squeezing her hand and continuing, "I told you Kate was a friend of mine and I didn't know she lived in the building. Remember that?"

Alexis nodded, leaning her cheek on her other hand.

"Well," he paused again, swallowing. "Kate's my friend –"

"Your girlfriend now, Daddy."

Rick smiled, brushing a loose piece of hair out of her face. "You're right, pumpkin, my girlfriend now. But Kate and I, we… met when I was on a trip, and we started talking, and we liked each other a lot."

"So was she your girlfriend the whole time? Cause it sounds like she was."

Chuckling, he tugged her closer. His little sassmaster. "It's a little more complicated than that, baby. Kate hasn't been my girlfriend since we met."

Alexis hummed, pressing her face into his t-shirt for a moment. "Because she had the babies?"

"No, not because she had the babies. Just because we didn't have the chance to become boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Why not?"

"Well, that's complicated, honey, and I promise I'll explain if you want," he replied, resting his chin on her head. "But because Kate and I liked each other a lot, we made the babies together while I was on my trip."

There, he'd said it. Alexis might not understand the finer mechanics of making babies – and he hoped to God it would stay that way until she neared his mother's age – but she understood the very basics of the birds and the bees. She knew it took two people to make babies, and the babies grew in the mother's stomach until it was time for them to be born.

"So I can't exactly be their _new_ daddy," he hummed, dipping his head to catch her eye. He took in her wrinkled brow, her clouded gaze, even the way her lips pursed as she parsed his words.

"You can't be their new daddy," she echoed, her voice low, thoughtful. He nodded, smoothing a hand down her back.

"I can't be their new daddy, Alexis, because I'm their first daddy. Their old daddy. Their super old, falling apart, in need of a cane, but still totally handsome daddy."

He waited for her to giggle at that, the way she always giggled when he bellyached about being 'almost ancient' compared to her. "Just like I'm yours."

Pressing her face against him again, her fingers tightened around his. "M'confused, Daddy."

"I know. It's confusing, it really is. Tell me how I can help?" Taking his hand back, Rick lifted her out of her chair and settled her into his lap. The table wasn't the most comfortable place to have this talk, but they were in the groove now and he wasn't about to upset it by moving them to the couch.

"If you're their daddy, why didn't we see them when they were _little,_ little babies? Or before they were born?"

Okay, he could answer that without needing to explain a chance meeting in an Atlantic City bar, one-night stands, or the semantics of writing a number in the pre-dawn light before leaving a hotel room. He could totally answer that.

"Well, sometimes accidents happen and you lose touch with people. I messed up when I gave her my phone number, and then I forgot to get hers."

"That wasn't very smart."

Rick chuckled, shaking his head. "No baby, that wasn't smart of me at all. But I promise you, we wanted to talk to each other, we just couldn't. Kate tried and tried to get in contact with me to tell me we were going to have the babies, but it didn't work."

"Oh."

Resting his chin on her head, he searched for something else to help her understand. "But carrying the twins was pretty hard for her, so she had to stop looking for me and make sure they were okay."

His thumb brushed Alexis's cheek, drawing her lips upward until she smiled. She did, finally, but her eyes were still troubled. Whether it was in confusion or anger, he couldn't tell.

"But you know what I think?"

She looked up, her eyes softening again, the moment passing. "What, Daddy?"

"I think the universe wanted us to be together the way we are. I think the universe wanted us to move when we did, and to pick this apartment. I think the universe wanted me to wrangle the couch on my own, because it meant accidentally keeping Kate off the elevator."

"Daddy, that was because we didn't have help moving after Gram left for rehearsal. Remember, movers were _so_ expensive?"

Well there was that, but he wasn't making a point about practicality, he was making a point about magic. About fate and destiny, and the way their lives were going to be great, even if everything was crazy and confusing at the moment.

Instead, he tickled her, digging his fingers into the spot just under her ribs that never failed to elicit a mighty cackle from his sometimes too-quiet daughter.

As soon as his tickle assault was over, Alexis burrowed in closer, tucking her head under his chin.

"That's true, but I still think the universe made it happen that way. So you could meet Kate, and we could meet the twins, and we'd all be in a good place to love each other the way we should."

She nodded, her hair catching the stubble on his chin. "But couldn't the universe have done that sooner?"

Oh, now they were getting deep. Philosophical, even. It was a sweet question, though.

"Maybe, pumpkin. But I think the universe probably knew what it was doing." He touched his lips to her forehead. "And we'll make up for not knowing the twins and not seeing Kate for those few months; eventually it'll be like we've always been together. If that's what we want, of course."

Alexis nodded eagerly, pushing at his chest to catch his eyes. "S'what we want. S'what I want."

"Then we agree. And Kate agrees, too." Grinning, Rick smacked a kiss on her cheek, sloppy and wet; just the way she hated.

"Daddy!"

He chuckled, standing with her in his arms. She was getting so big, rarely wanting to be carried anywhere, but a little extra coddling couldn't hurt tonight.

"It's a little weird, right?" he asked, rounding the table and unceremoniously dropping them both onto the couch. Alexis giggled, settling in within seconds, patting his chest.

"Uh huh."

"Yeah, I know. But hey, you know what I think this calls for?"

"What, Daddy?" Her head lifted, mirth shining in her eyes. The tightness in his chest eased a little bit with the knowledge that he'd been able to ease her uncertainty, even if it was only temporarily.

Rick waited a beat, building the anticipation though he had a feeling she already knew what was coming. He was something of a creature of habit, after all.

"Just Found Out You're A Big Sister Ice Cream. You in?"

Yeah, they'd already had dessert, but she'd earned it.

Alexis brightened, scrambling off his chest to push at his shoulders, urging him into the kitchen. "With sprinkles, and whipped cream, and a cherry on top? Oh, and chocolate syrup?"

"If you want," he promised, catching her hand and hauling her onto his back. Piggyback rides were also a must. "All the finest ice cream toppings for you."

His daughter giggled against his ear, squeezing him gently. Happy to hear her laughing, he dropped a kiss against her forearm, opening the freezer for their treat.

"Is that why the twins like me?" she asked a minute later, watching as he worked to scoop just the right amount of ice cream into her bowl. "They like me 'cause I'm their big sister?"

"I think they love you because you're their big sister, but they like you because you've always been so nice to them. You play with them, give them kisses, and do the carrot dance for them."

Alexis sighed against his shoulder, nodding. "The carrot dance is so fun."

"Oh, I know it is. And you're so good at it, too. Along with the pea dan –"

"Daddy, that's gross!"

Maybe it made him childish, but he couldn't help it. It was a little bit funny. "I meant the _food_ , Alexis. What are you thinking about?"

She blew a raspberry into his ear, cackling when he attempted to shy away. "You're not funny, mister."

"I think I'm very funny. Kate thinks I'm funny, too."

Alexis huffed. "Kate likes you. That doesn't count."

Handing her the chocolate syrup, he twisted to give her access to the counter, allowing her to drown her bowl in it if she so desired.

"How does that not count?"

One arm tightened around his neck, keeping herself from slipping down his back as she drizzled the topping over her second dessert. He coughed, hefting her higher to keep her from choking him.

"Because when you like someone you get so goofy. It messes with your brain."

So did oxygen deprivation. "Does it now?"

"Uh huh. I saw it on TV."

"So Kate only thinks I'm funny because she likes me? That's the logic?"

"Yep." She popped her lips behind him, wiggling her fingers to do the honor of plopping the cherry on top of her ice cream concoction.

"Care to put that to the test? Maybe tomorrow after your soccer game? We'll have…" he drum rolled on the counter. "The joke contest to end all joke contests. Kate will be the judge of all things comical and we'll see who wins the prize as the funniest Castle."

Alexis giggled. "You're on, Daddy. Prepare to lose."

"Oh I'm prepared for my victory speech." He grinned, lowering her down and offering her a spoon, a napkin (or ten), and the bowl of ice creamy goodness in short succession. He waited a beat before sneaking a smooch. "Go forth; enjoy the spoils of becoming a big sister."

She beamed. "Thanks, Daddy. I like this big sister stuff so far."

Chuckling, Rick turned to scoop his own ice cream. Of course she did.

Hours later, long after he'd finally coaxed his daughter down from her sugar high and put her to bed, he heard Kate's light tap on their door. She'd texted him when she and the twins got home from dinner with her dad, but hadn't said anything about coming over.

"Hey," he greeted, feeling his face stretch into a smile as soon as he got the door open. She'd changed out of her dinner clothes (which had been her work clothes minus her badge and her gun) and into what he'd come to know as her 'unwinding' attire; a long t-shirt and light leggings. She'd thrown her hair into a messy half-ponytail, but hadn't even slipped her shoes on to walk over.

"Hey," she echoed, lifting onto her toes to meet him halfway, the kiss quick and sweet. "Sorry, I didn't come over earlier. They were fussy at dinner and I thought they'd drop off as soon as I put them down."

"Ah, but no dice?" he asked, stepping back to usher her inside. The twins looked around, twisting to see him as he closed the door. His tongue poked out in greeting, earning him dual sleepy giggles.

"Nope," Kate sighed, hoisting them higher up her hips. "They're exhausted, but apparently they don't want to sleep. First it was crying, then they acted hungry, then they decided to have playtime in their cribs. So I figured maybe the change of scenery and some backup might help."

He grinned, he couldn't help it. Being her backup was awesome.

"Of course. We'll tag team these two. Hand me the biggest troublemaker," he said, reaching instinctively for Anna, only to have Kate twist and plop his son into his arms. Well that was unexpected.

"I know," she murmured, clucking her tongue in amusement. "It's hard to believe the mild-mannered one is the instigator tonight, but he is."

Rick shook his head, cradling Eli against his chest. "Wow. I nearly accused your sister. You're a little devious, Eli."

Beside him, Kate chuckled. "I think he missed you. Now he looks content."

His heart stuttered, thumping heavily against his rib cage as it resumed normal rhythm. His son had missed him. Not only that, but Eli had missed him enough to fuss until he saw him again.

"I missed you, too, buddy," he whispered, pressing his lips to the boy's head. "Come on, let's sit and relax. You guys need to sleep so you can get big and strong like Alexis."

Kate smiled, kissing Eli's fingers. "You just wanted your daddy, huh? Accept no substitutes, not even me."

Tugging Kate and Anna over to the couch, he settled in with them, keeping Eli close to his heart.

"Well, I am pretty fantastic." He grinned, holding out an arm for her in invitation. Kate rolled her eyes, leaning into him anyway.

"Yeah, you're alright. Don't let it go to your head." She exhaled, draping her legs over his knees.

"Funny," he drawled, feeling her grin against his arm.

Eli sighed into his shirt, his tiny fingers curling around the fabric. Rick kissed his hair again, looking over to see Anna's eyes drooping, too. Kate's hand slid across her back, the motion soothing, hypnotic, even to Rick.

"Sleep, squeakers," he crooned to the quiet room. "I'll give you pancakes in the morning once mom goes to work."

"Hey," Kate grumbled. "I want pancakes, too. I think I've earned those."

"Then stay here tonight; I'll make pancakes early enough for you to have some before work."

She sighed. "We shouldn't… Alexis…"

"Knows about everything now," he interrupted, sounding just a little too flippant for his own good.

Kate jerked up, cupping her hand over Anna's ear before turning to face him. "Wait, what _everything_ does she know?"

"Ah, no. No, not _that_. Kind of. She knows we did at least once."

Her eyes narrowed. "Rick…" She wasn't angry, he knew that much, but this wasn't the way he'd wanted to broach the subject with her, that was for sure.

"Wait, wait, let me explain?" he asked, trying to make his voice light. "I know we were waiting for things to settle, for us to find our groove, but she had questions, Kate. She asked if I would be their new daddy because I've started watching them during the day. I told her I couldn't be their new dad because I was already their dad. I just, I wasn't going to lie to her."

"Oh," she breathed. "And she… she had to have questions about that, too. That's a pretty big bomb to drop on a little girl."

He nodded, tracing the ridge of her kneecap through her leggings with his thumb. "She did. I told her you and I met on a trip, hit it off, and made the twins, but couldn't find each other again because of a mix up. And that's why we didn't know the twins sooner."

Shifting Eli, he leaned over to brush his mouth across Kate's. Her lips softened under his, the tension from her evening and his blunder draining out of her.

"How'd she take it?" she asked finally, tilting her forehead against his. "I mean, she's a big sister and we kept that from her. She had to be a little upset."

"She seemed to understand. We also had some Just Found Out You're A Big Sister Ice Cream, and I think that hit the spot. But if she has more questions, maybe we can talk in the morning? If there's time, of course?"

Kate's fingers brushed his chin. "Don't use your daughter to get me to spend the night, Rick Castle."

"What about my son? Will using him work?" he teased, checking Eli's face quickly. The kid was out cold, tiny mouth parted, cheek burrowed into his chest. Thank god for soft t-shirts. He'd buy a dozen more if they helped put the kids to sleep.

Kate growled, nipping at his lip. "No. But I'll stay because it's late and I'm tired."

"And you want my pancakes."

She flushed. "Don't gloat, okay? 'Cause it's really unattractive."

"Yeah I don't believe that either, Detective Beckett. But for you, I'll let it go. And I'll put Eli down if you want to get Anna."

Kate hummed. "Is she asleep?"

Rick dipped his head, brushing his finger down his daughter's round cheek. She sighed, turning her face into her mother's breast.

"Yeah, she's down for the count."

"Good." He felt Kate press on his arm, keeping him from standing long enough to press an open-mouthed kiss to his cheek. "By the way, what you told Alexis? That was good. That was really good."

He felt his shoulders relax at her reassurance. He hadn't even known he'd needed it, hadn't expected to need it, but oh, it helped. It helped.

"Thanks."

She nuzzled him gently, rising to her feet. "Now we just have to tell our parents. As nerve-wracking as that might be."

He agreed, following her to the cribs. He'd managed to get Alexis's crib repaired and inspected, and it was deemed perfectly safe for one or both of the babies. They tried to give them their own sleeping space, but if they fussed, the older crib was perfect to put them together.

"Maybe after your mom's play is over? When she has more time to sit and talk."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Not that she wouldn't make time and listen, but she gets…" He wouldn't say his mother could be inattentive, but he remembered months of half-frozen TV dinners microwaved by nannies, nights spent in hotel rooms alone, and being shipped off to stay with friends if he couldn't go on tour with her. "Focused," he concluded, smoothing his hand over Eli's back. "She gets focused on her work."

Kate's fingers curled against his back as she fitted herself into his side. She seemed to be able to read between the lines.

"We'll tell her after the play's over," she declared, decision made. "And we can tell my dad whenever he's free?"

Rick nodded once, shaking himself off the trail of thought that made him examine his childhood a little too closely. His mother had done her best for him, and he and Kate were doing their best for their kids.

Kate's lips brushed his shoulder. "I'm gonna run back to my place for my work clothes. How's your formula and diaper supply over here?"

Clearing his throat, he pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head. "It's fine. We picked up more of both earlier."

"Kay. I'll be back."

"I'll be here," he promised, skimming his hand down her back.

His girlfriend's lips twisted upward as she tugged away. "Why don't you be in bed when I get back?"

"I can be in bed," he answered without skipping a beat, eyes widening.

Her amused chuckle lingered even after she slipped into the hall.

* * *

He woke the next morning to the sound of movement in his bathroom. It took him a minute to realize Kate was up before him, bustling around the en suite and talking to herself. No, not herself. One of the kids? Had to be one of the kids.

"Kate?" he called, shoving the heels of his hands into his eyes to clear the sleep from his vision. "S'goin' on?"

She appeared a moment later, clad in a sea blue scoop neck and a pair of jeans that cupped her in all the right places.

"You changed," he observed with only minimal disappointment, looking her over. Really, she was hot in anything she wore or didn't wear.

"Sorry Casanova, can't wear your shirt to an interrogation," she drawled, brushing her lips over Eli's hair. Eli's fingers curled in the delicate silver chain around her neck, but Kate didn't seem bothered by it.

Rick wiggled his eyebrows. "Might get more out of your suspect if you did, though."

Rolling her eyes, his girlfriend huffed. "Cute, Rick. Gonna have to take a rain check on pancakes, though. I have to head to the precinct now."

"Kay, okay. No pancakes this time," he agreed, holding out his arms. "I'll take this guy. Did you start the coffee?"

Moving closer to his side of the bed, Kate leaned over to transfer the baby to him, stealing a kiss from both of them upon making the hand off.

Rick grinned, thumbing Eli's back as soon as she pulled away. "Hey, sleepy boy. Why're you awake? I didn't even hear you get up."

Eli smiled, patting his chest in greeting.

Kate's fingers brushed Eli's cheek. "I heard him start to fuss so I got him before he could wake Anna. He's been changed, but not fed. Coffee's almost ready; I'll bring you a cup before I leave."

He exhaled, slumping into his pillow with a nod. Eli giggled, rolling into his chest, no doubt ready to play.

"Not yet, squirmy. It's still resting time."

Kate smiled once before checking her watch.

"I better go. Want your coffee?"

"Mmm, sure. Thanks, Kate."

She offered him a quick smile, ducking out to the kitchen and returning a moment later with his favorite mug. She offered it to him for a slow sip, but settled it on his nightstand instead of forcing him to take it from her. Probably safer that way.

His hand snaked over, curling around index and middle fingers and squeezing.

"Are you still coming to Alexis's soccer game? Starts at five-thirty." It was her last one of the season, the first Kate's schedule had allowed her to make, and he just wanted to be sure. It would be fine if she couldn't, but having the notice helped.

"I'll do my best, babe," she promised, swiping another kiss against his lips. "And um, let me know if Alexis has questions? We can talk after the game."

He nodded, his brain still firmly stuck on the word 'babe.' She'd called him _babe_. "Sure, yes, of course. I'll text you if she does."

"Kay."

"Of course, I'll text you anyway, even if she doesn't. But I'll tell you if she does."

She smiled, nodding in agreement. "In that case, see you later. I'll let you know if I'll be late for the game. Dinner after, too, right?"

"Right. They're doing the team party before the game, so don't worry about dealing with a legion of soccer moms while you eat dinner."

She beamed in relief. "My hero."

Curling his arm around Eli, he watched her slip to the door of his bedroom. He hated the fact that she had to leave, but his view wasn't bad at all.

"Remember to lock the door behind me," she called over her shoulder, smirking as his eyes lifted from her ass.

"Or you could take the key that's on the table and put it on your key chain."

She stopped again, backtracking into his room. He feigned innocence. He'd put the key out sometime in the middle of the night after checking on the twins, hoping to surprise her over breakfast.

"The what?"

"The key. It's yours. I have one to your place, shouldn't you have one to mine?"

Kate sputtered, searching for words. "I… Rick…" He watched her shoulders lift with her uncertainty. "Yours was out of necessity. This is… a big step."

"Kate, you don't ever have to use it after this morning if you're not ready," Rick promised, offering her an easy smile. "But think of it as a necessity, too, because I don't want to get out of bed yet."

"Fine, fine, I'll take the key," she conceded, sucking in a deep breath and letting her shoulders drop on the exhale. "See you later."

He waited until he heard the door snick shut behind her to turn to his son. The boy was already attempting to wiggle out of his arms and make a break for the end of the bed. Rick shifted his grip, reaching for the elephant Kate had left at the foot of the bed. His boy snatched the animal with gusto, pressing his face into one of the toy's plush ears.

"I think I startled Mommy with the key, Eli. I didn't mean to, but she should have it. Don't you think? So she never has to knock when you guys are being fussy at night."

The baby looked up, eyes wide and trusting. When he smiled, Rick felt his breath catch in his throat. It had been months, but it still stunned him; his kid was gorgeous. All three of his kids were gorgeous.

"Right. I think so, too. I think I just surprised her, that's all. It'll be okay. Now, we have just enough time to nap before Alexis has to get up. Shall we do that, squirmy?"

Eli babbled around his elephant's ear, bouncing in Rick's lap.

"Not amenable to that suggestion? Okay, in that case, let's just cuddle and have coffee until we have to wake your sisters. I think we should make waffles to go along with our breakfast bottle, and we'll save the pancakes for when your mommy can be with us."

His son squeaked what Rick had to assume was an agreement, kicking his little feet against Rick's calf.

"Right. And then we'll play all day until it's time to go to the soccer game. Good plan, baby boy. Good plan."

* * *

 _A/N: I adore you all, thank you. _Your kind words have made a difficult month so much easier to handle. Thank you all.__


	8. Chapter 8

_I am so incredibly grateful for you all. Thank you for every kind word, every piece of encouragement, and every bit of support. My apologies for the wait for this chapter._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Eight**

* * *

She was being silly.

Logically, she knew she was. It was just a key, not a marriage proposal or a request to move in together. It was just a key. If nothing else, it was practical for her to have it. Last night had demonstrated that it was just as much of a necessity for her to have access to his place as it was for him to have access to hers.

It just felt so intimate to take a key and lock his door behind her, knowing she could return any time she pleased. More intimate than any relationship she'd been in before had, and more intimate than she was sure an infant relationship typically did.

Then again, infant relationships also didn't typically involve actual infants. Theirs did. Infant relationships didn't involve co-parenting and trying to do the right thing for everyone involved while navigating dating and getting-to-know-yous. Theirs did.

So maybe that was the point. Maybe it was a sign of trust on his part. Not a push in any direction, but a sign of his trust in their future, in whatever they could be beyond sharing parenting duties and snagging a few hours of sleep (among other things) beside one another every once in a while. Maybe it was just an extension of his optimism and his faith that they would be great in time.

Faith she was slowly coming to share. Slowly.

She put the key on her key chain during lunch. She'd get used to the extra weight in her pocket.

At the end of the day, every muscle in her body yearned for the enveloping softness of her couch, but the text from Rick reminded her of the promise she'd made. She couldn't go home just yet; Alexis had her final soccer game of the season and they were having a family dinner for the five of them after that.

And oh, she'd volunteered to take questions about anything from the seven year old. Rick had promised the girl wasn't upset that morning, but who knew what Alexis was thinking now that she'd had a day to think about the news. What if she hated her for keeping her siblings away for so many months?

Okay, that was maybe a little bit dramatic. Rick's fault; that was all Rick's fault.

Spotting Rick was easy. There were plenty of moms lining the soccer field, but dads were in much shorter supply. Dads sitting on a blanket and playing pass the block with twin babies were damn near unheard of, especially at 5:52pm on a Thursday.

But there he was, looking utterly in his element as he split his attention between Anna, Eli, and the eight children gleefully chasing after the ball on the soccer field. Kate felt her steps stutter. He was so damn good with them, with all of them.

Somehow, he just knew she'd arrived. Whether it was a sixth sense, or he'd spotted her wandering the path, as soon as she neared, his head lifted and he offered her the same gorgeous, elated smile he'd been giving the twins.

Her cheeks darkened under his gaze and fingers lifted in a wave. She gave up any pretense of fighting to control her own smile when Eli yanked the block from his hands and toss it aside.

"Hey, look who made it," he called, brushing a hand through his hair. "Look who's here, guys. Mommy's here."

The twins barely spared her a glance. They were more than content to giggle together and push at their toys.

"Huh. Well, I know where I stand," she joked, lowering onto the blanket beside them and sneaking kisses from both babies, receiving twin pats on the cheek in return. She lifted her head to kiss Rick, grinning against his mouth in greeting.

"Oh, but mommy, they're playing soccer too. Check this out."

Rick nudged the block between them, only to have Anna knock it away with her fist. Eli giggled in response, swiping at it and missing.

Kate laughed lightly, leaning over to kiss her daughter again. "You have to use your feet, goofy. Like your big sister," she added, pointing Alexis out to the baby.

Anna squealed, lurching forward, no doubt in an attempt to make a break for the field and the girl with the adorable red braid bouncing along her back.

"No, little girl, you stay right here," Beckett singsonged, catching her hips gently. "You can play with your sister soon. This is her game."

"They tag-teamed me when we first sat down. I turned around to get their water and when I turned back, they'd made it halfway to the sidelines."

"Good thing you're spry," she drawled, bumping him with her shoulder. "How was the party?"

"Postponed until next week. They realized maybe pizza, ice cream, seven year olds, and soccer don't mix."

Pressing her cheek against his arm, she hummed in acknowledgement. "I was wondering if someone would think of the wisdom in that. Or lack thereof, in this case."

Rick's hand slid over her knee, pressing against the seam of her jeans. "And yet you would've let it happen. Devious, Detective."

Chuckling, she nodded to the batch of moms waiting on the sidelines. Judging by the volume of their cheers, it was possible that they were enjoying the game more than the players on the field. "Well who am I to tell that dedicated bunch that they're doing things wrong?"

"Oh no, that would definitely ruin their fun," he teased, looping an arm around Eli's waist. "Gotta stay here, buddy. Let's show mommy how well you're balancing today."

She watched him lift the baby onto his feet, keeping his palm firmly against Eli's belly for stability. Their son's eyes lit up, his grin spreading wider across his cheeks.

"Oh you're getting so good at that, baby," she praised, lifting Anna to do the same. Baby girl hated to feel left out.

Rick stole a kiss from both babies before his attention returned to her, his eyes sparkling in the evening sun. Kate felt her cheeks heat under his scrutiny and a surge of bashfulness made her want to hide from view. How did he always manage to say so much without even uttering a word?

"How was work?" he asked finally, clearing his throat to be heard over the gentle jabbering from the twins and the cheers of the hoard of soccer moms.

"Good, it was good. Got a confession this morning. Took less than an hour, too."

Her guts clenched at the pride in his smile. "Would've taken less than ten minutes if you'd worn my shirt," he teased, dipping to slide his lips over her ear.

She shivered. "Mhmm, probably. But I prefer my suspects talking, not drooling and babbling. Present company excluded, of course," she added with a wink, tweaking his cheek gently.

"Hey," he grumbled, holding Eli tighter as he started to bounce. "I don't drool or babble. Much. Except for when you wear that lacy number to bed."

Kate smothered a laugh. He loved that lacy nightgown. Loved to slip his hand along her side, fingers trailing down to the hem at her thigh, as his mouth devastated hers.

Shit, they needed some alone time – real alone time – soon. Taking it slow wasn't cutting it anymore. There was foreplay and then there was torture, and they were torturing each other.

"How was breakfast?" she blurted, banishing the phantom touch of his mouth against her neck, the images of his hips settling into the cradle of her own. "The pancakes. And… you said she had more questions. Were they brutal?"

Rick's lips twisted upward. "We decided to save pancakes for when you could be home and made waffles instead. And no, they weren't brutal, just questions she thought she should save for you."

"Ah, gotcha." She smoothed Anna's shirt over her belly. "Were they… did she seem mad?"

Yes, she _was_ still intimidated by a seven year old, as pathetic as it was.

He shook his head, letting Eli slip onto his butt and squirm into his favorite crawling stance. Anna whined a moment later, wanting to join her brother. "Curious more than anything. It'll be okay, Kate. I can see you freaking out."

"I'm not, I'm not. I just…" she trailed off, twisting her fingers together. "I don't want to say the wrong thing. And I don't want her to be upset."

His hand slipped over hers, massaging the tension from her fingers with practiced ease. It must be a writer thing, knowing how to take care of hand cramps.

"She won't be. She loves the twins. She loves you. You love her. You love –" he paused, squeezing her hand quickly. They both knew where that statement ended. "My point is she's young, but she understands that people can do things for good reasons or bad reasons, and she knows you had good intentions."

He pulled her closer, resting his cheek on her head. She didn't particularly need the hug, but she knew it didn't hurt to let him shoulder some of her burdens, even the minor ones. That year of therapy really had been good for something.

"Well," she began a moment later, squeezing his arm firmly. "With the twins I had good intentions. With you, naughty ones all the way."

Her tongue poked out as she waited for the innuendo to hit home.

"Why, Detective Beckett, that sounds like motive for something."

Snorting, she patted his hand, reaching out to catch Anna by the foot before she could crawl away.

"Oh, I have motive, sir, ulterior motives."

"I knew it." He grinned, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I just knew it."

"Mmm." She shifted, settling in front of him to make use of his admirable skills as a backrest. "So remind me of the rules of pee wee soccer? How much longer do we have?"

Rick chuckled, dropping his chin to her shoulder. His breath tickled her neck, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of squirming. "They started a little late, but they're about to take their second water break. Then there are two more short quarters with a water break in between."

"Kay. Not that this isn't entertaining, I'm just hungry."

And she wanted to get the talk out of the way so they could move forward.

Rick's hand slid up her side, distracting her from her terror with the feather-light touch. "There are still yogurt bites and those puff things in the diaper bag. Want a snack?"

Confusion made her twist to face him. "You're offering me snacks meant for your children?"

"Well they've already had their fill, so I figure the rest is fair game for us. What?"

She stared at him, sweeping a hand out to make sure both of her children were still where she'd left them. "Rick, do you eat their food?"

"Are you telling me you don't?" His eyes widened into the pinnacle of innocence.

"I… well, I've _tried_ it. But I don't make a habit of munching on their food when they're done with it."

He lifted a shoulder, lips turning up with the motion. "It's good. And it's not bad for you, obviously, or we wouldn't feed it to them. So in a pinch, I think it works."

She watched him reach into the diaper bag, brandishing the bag of snacks a moment later. Kate rolled her eyes, but accepted the food.

The puffs were pretty tasty, she couldn't argue with that, and the yogurt bites melted on her tongue. She hummed in appreciation, narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend's triumph.

"Not a word, Rick. Lunch was just too long ago. I'd eat just about anything."

He grinned anyway, reaching into the bag to join her in nibbling on their kids' treats.

Well, at least they were mooching together.

In the end, she was more than a little grateful for the snack. Even after the game ended, the teams had to shake hands, take pictures, and get refreshments of their own, tacking even more time onto their wait. Kate watched Alexis flit between her teammates and the other moms and wondered if Rick needed to get in there.

"Nah, she'll come to us when she's done. I steal the team mom glory," he explained when she lifted an eyebrow and gestured toward the field.

Chuckling, she nodded. "I'm sure that's exactly it."

"I do. The last time it was my turn to bring the post-game treat, I brought pizza bites and cupcakes. The kids thought I was awesome. The moms told me that 'wasn't the healthy snack they'd had in mind.' Like the sports drinks and cookies they're giving out right now are much better," he huffed. "We all know it's 'cause it made me the favorite."

Yeah, he was probably right. He had a habit of becoming the favorite.

"Kate! Daddy! Did you see me? I scored _two_ goals."

Kate grinned, turning to find Alexis bounding over to them. Her braid bounced against her shoulder and the bright yellow drink sloshed over the rim of the bottle, but it didn't seem to bother the girl. She skidded to a stop at the edge of the blanket, dropping to her knees to greet her siblings, too.

"Did you see me? Did my brother and sister see me?"

Alexis didn't wait for a response. Instead she launched into a reenactment of her goals, just in case they had missed her moments of triumph.

"And we'll get trophies at our party next week. Oh, Kate, can my brother and sister come to my party. Please, please, please?" Alexis clasped her fingers in front of her, lifting pleading eyes to Beckett.

"I, ah, sure. Of course, Alexis. Of course. Your brother and sister can come to your party. That's okay with your team, right?"

"Uh huh!" she said, turning to the twins to tell them how much fun they would have at the party.

Kate looked to Rick to be sure.

He nodded, gathering some of their extra things and tossing them into various pockets in the diaper bag. "There's plenty of space; the party's here. And if the twins have any pizza, it won't be more than a slice between the two of them, so there's no danger of taking too much food."

"Okay," she agreed. "As long as it's okay."

"It is," Alexis promised, squirming on the blanket and patting her lap. "Eli, come sit with me."

The baby whined, but allowed his sister to lift him onto her legs. Beckett bit her lip. Between the news and the game, Alexis was just excited; she hadn't hurt Eli, just broken his concentration.

"Hey, Alexis," she murmured, scooting away from Rick to sit opposite the little girl. "Your dad told me you had some questions last night and this morning."

"Oh. Yeah, yeah I did."

Kate smiled. "Yeah."

"The twins are my brother and sister," Alexis offered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"They are."

"Cause my daddy's their daddy, too."

Kate nodded, scooping her daughter up and blowing a raspberry on Anna's belly before passing her over to her father, mouthing for him to change her. Rick scowled, but nodded. "Right."

"But it was a' accident?" Alexis kissed the side of Eli's head, looking up at her, her blue eyes questioning.

A frown creased Kate's forehead. Her kids weren't _planned_ , but she wouldn't go as far as to use the word accident. "What was, sweetheart?"

"Not getting to see them before. When they were in your tummy."

"Oh, yes. Yes, that was an accident. I wanted them to see you and Daddy so badly, but Daddy and I couldn't find each other for a while."

Alexis nodded, considering her words. "Are you and Daddy going to get married?"

Behind her, Rick coughed. He thought he was clever in disguising it as a noise of disgust at the baby's diaper, but she knew.

"Well… I don't know that. Maybe? But we want to get to know each other better before we take that step."

Alexis shrugged. "You should. Then the twins will always be my brother and sister."

Kate smiled softly, brushing a wayward strand of hair away from the girl's face. "Alexis, the twins will always be your brother and sister. That doesn't change even if your daddy and I never get married."

"Oh."

"It's confusing, I know," she murmured, giving the girl's braid a gentle tug. "But we're all trying to figure it out together, which is good."

"Uh huh. Are we gonna all live together? They can sleep in my room."

Damn, Rick really was making her tackle the hard questions, wasn't he? Then again, he had been the one to handle the semi-sex talk, so maybe it wasn't so bad.

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Kate exhaled. "No, not right now, honey. But just like getting married maybe we will once we figure everything out. You just moved into your apartment, and there's not really enough space for all of us in it, or in mine. So we'd have to find somewhere else to live together and that could take some time."

"Oh." Alexis slumped, squeezing her brother. The boy whined, but didn't cry, and Kate handed him a block to satisfy his urge to play.

"But hey, hey. That's not a no. Okay? It's more like we'll see what happens." Good job, Beckett, excellent practical use of "we'll see." Her mother would be proud.

Alexis nodded, kissing Eli's hair thoughtfully. "But you like daddy. You really like him, you said so."

Kate chuckled, tickling Eli's foot. "I do. And that's why we're going to wait and see what happens instead of jumping into things. Right, Rick?" she prompted, looking over her shoulder to find him watching them with curled lips and soft, tender eyes.

"Right. Right. We just need to be patient, pumpkin. If we rush, we might end up messing things up. Or finding out that Kate's really an alien in disguise!"

His fingers dug into her sides without warning, drawing a bark of laughter from her lips.

"Rick! Ack! No, no tickles. No tickles," she protested, trying in vain to squirm away from his wriggling fingers. "I'm going to kick one of the kids if you're not ca-careful!"

The tickles continued, slowing then picking up speed when she attempted to twist out of his grasp. Said kids chortled at their antics, encouraging Rick's shenanigans.

"You," she panted, finally managing to make contact with his chest and shove him away. "Are a dead man."

Insufferable man that he was, he smirked. He actually smirked as he drew her back in for a kiss as a peace offering. "Can't wait."

"Yeah, you better rethink that eagerness, pal." She sucked in a deep breath, pushing her hair off her face. Her cheeks pulled, her sides ached from laughing. Oh, she was going to kill him, but she would have fun doing so.

Leaning over, she lowered her voice. "Alexis, where's your dad's most ticklish spot?"

"Hey! I think it's dinner time, don't you? Yep, definitely dinner time." Rick clapped his hands, scooping Anna off the blanket and reaching for the stroller. "Come on, family, let's go."

Alexis giggled louder, releasing Eli into Kate's arms. "His feet, Kate. Get his feet."

Beckett grinned, pressing her lips to her baby boy's head. "His feet, got it." She helped Alexis to her feet, winking.

The girl cackled, hugging Kate's waist.

"Feel better now?" she asked, squeezing Alexis gently.

The redhead exhaled. "Yeah. Thanks, Kate."

Well, that was far less painful than she'd expected it to be.

* * *

Despite making reservations, they still had to wait. Which would've been fine if the cookie snack Alexis had been given hadn't worn off, and the restaurant hadn't been crowded enough to warrant keeping the twins in the stroller until their table was ready. Suffice to say, by the time they seated, they had three frowning children on their hands.

Thankfully, bread and appetizers materialized rather quickly, making her wonder if Rick had actually ordered while they were waiting. Whatever the case, she was grateful to get something other than baby food in her stomach. It made dealing with two fussy ten month olds who didn't want to sit in their high chairs just a tad easier.

It also didn't hurt that Alexis perked up as soon as she devoured a slice or two of bread, smiling brightly at the babies and then the adults at the table.

Rick grinned, swiping a crumb off his daughter's cheek. "Better, pumpkin?"

"S'better," she answered, licking her fingers. "Can I have another piece?"

"Sure, Alexis," Kate answered, cutting a slice for herself as well. She caught Rick's eye, making sure it was the right move, but he just nodded and tapped the menu. Right, they still had actual meals to order. "Then you should pick what you wanna eat so you'll know how much more room you need to save."

Alexis grinned. "It's okay, my leg's hollow. Daddy said so,"

Across the table, Rick laughed. "I did. I did say that. And while that's true, I know you'll be upset if you miss out on your prized pizza dinner because you ate too much bread."

Alexis sighed, but nodded. "I want cheese and pepperoni."

Rick smiled. "I knew you would."

He opened a container of sliced meat and cheese for the twins, using his bread plate for Anna. Kate handed hers over a moment later for Eli.

"Thanks for packing that. You grabbed bottles too?"

"Uh huh. The cooler is awesome. Best investment ever."

They'd already talked about what she saw as a propensity for over-buying for the kids, but she couldn't argue with the cooler. It was so much better than ice packs that melted and got condensation everywhere.

Her fingers curled around his. "Good decision," she agreed, squeezing his hand quickly. "What are you having?"

"A cheeseburger, of course."

"Oh, of course," she teased, plucking a piece of cheese from Anna's shirt and nudging it against her lips. "Are you going to let me feed you, baby girl?"

Ever the tenacious one, Anna turned her face away. Kate sighed, shaking her head.

"Stubborn, stubborn. Okay, here's your cheese. I'll put it on your plate, how's that?"

Rick chuckled, turning from helping Eli to kiss Anna's nose. "You just love feeding yourself, don't you? I bet your mommy was just as independent as you are."

"Yes, because I'm sure you weren't obstinate at all," she drawled, giving Alexis her attention once more. "Has your gram told you if Daddy was stubborn?"

"Umm," Alexis tapped her lips. "Sooo stubborn."

"I'll have you know, daughter, that you once held your breath until you passed out, all because I wouldn't buy you a candy bar."

Pink flooded the little girl's cheeks. "No, Daddy."

Rick grinned, winking in Kate's direction. "Yes, Alexis."

Alexis squealed, "Nooo."

The thwap of straw paper hitting Rick's nose cut off any argument he might've made. Instead, he gawked, looking around the table for the offending straw wrapper-shooting party.

Kate attempted to look innocent, despite the clear plastic between her lips.

"Ka –" he sputtered. "You… shot me."

That got her. Dropping the straw, she giggled into her hand. "I shot the _straw_ _wrapper_ at you."

"You _shot_ me!" he insisted, astonishment drawing his eyes wide. "Alexis wouldn't even do that to me – Alexis!"

Beside her, Alexis cackled, dropping her straw, too. Kate offered her a low-five, winking at her boyfriend.

Rick shook his head, already reaching for the extra straws. "You know what this means, Kate, daughter. This means _war_."

"Bring it," Beckett drawled, already snatching more ammo from the empty table behind them.

* * *

Thankfully, they were not asked to leave the restaurant for shooting straws at each other. Their waiter had given them more than a few disapproving looks when he realized the child wasn't the one responsible for the mess, but ultimately he said nothing.

All told, the meal was delicious, and the company wasn't too shabby either. Even when the twins started to squirm in their chairs, bleating pitifully to have someone hold them instead of keeping them cooped up, it was okay. She ate her meal one-handed while Rick did the same, and Alexis brushed her fingertips over her brother and sister's hands once she devoured her pizza.

They were all tired by the time they spilled out onto the sidewalk, but the thought of cramming the kids into a cab made the decision to head home on foot easier. She pushed the stroller while Rick ambled beside her, carrying his sleepy daughter against his shoulder.

"Kate?" Alexis mumbled, pushing her head away from her father's sweater. Beckett looked over, swiping a gentle hand over the girl's calf.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Are you and the twins going to sleep at my house again?"

"I don't think so, Alexis. Not tonight."

The girl sighed. "But, but, what if we want to play?"

Rick chuckled, smoothing his lips over her forehead. "You'll be too busy sleeping to play, honey."

"In the morning," she added, annoyance muffled but no less present.

"Then we can go see the twins in the morning," he promised, meeting Kate's eyes for assurance that they were on the same page.

Beckett nodded. "We'll have breakfast in the morning," she promised. "I don't have to be at work until later in the day, so you can come over for breakfast. _I'll_ cook for you this time."

Her fingers slid along Rick's arm. He smiled gratefully, brushing Alexis's hair.

"That sounds like a deal," he answered for the both of them.

"Good," she murmured, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to kiss Alexis on the cheek. The girl smiled sleepily, echoing her father's agreement. "And if you're not up by a certain time, the twins and I will let ourselves into your place to wake you."

Her eyes lifted to Rick's, trying to gauge his reaction to the promise. It was the first time either of them had acknowledged his gift since that morning.

"I do have a key, after all," she added.

He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. "You do. And I look forward to all the ways you choose to use it."

Swiping her mouth over his, Kate hummed. "Well, I plan to start with your feet, Mr. Castle."

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you to everyone for sticking with me on this journey. I hope you're still enjoying it as much as I am. For anyone who's curious, this story has been outlined to 18 chapters and an epilogue, so there's still much more to come!_

 _Thank you all so very much._


	9. Chapter 9

_Thank you all so much for continuing to stick with me. Every last word of encouragement helps more than you know._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Nine**

* * *

As soon as he opened the door for their weekly dinner, she knew her father had something on his mind. He'd spent more of their dinner watching her, studying her, than actually eating, and it only got worse when they settled in the middle of his living room floor to play with the kids.

"Okay, Dad. What's that look about?" she asked finally, leaning over to check Eli's diaper.

"What's what look?"

He was clearly trying to temper his reaction, but there it was again, the same thoughtful, quiet look. It wasn't the look he'd always adopted before he offered to quit his job and take care of the twins for her, though. It was different.

"That. That right there. Something's on your mind, so spill."

"Nothing's on my mind, Katie. I'm just enjoying the chance to see the three of you."

Well, Kate knew the latter part was the truth, but there was more to it. "Dad, remember the part where I'm a detective? I will get it out of you, so you might as well tell me," she pressed.

Jim chuckled, shaking his head. "That won't work on me, young lady."

Kate watched him turn his attention to her daughter, helping the little girl to scoot using his shoulders. They weren't quite steps yet, just shuffles – one of the books called it cruising or something similar – but she was getting closer. Eli was more content to crawl and stand than make the first strides toward walking, but Anna was eager to get moving.

"Uh huh. But you're not sick, are you? You're okay?"

He laughed. "I'm more than okay, I'm great."

"And work's going well? Everyone's treating you well? Nobody awful like at the last place?"

"Sweetheart, everything's fine. Work's fun, the people are great. It's a good experience."

She nodded. Good. He deserved that.

"They're actually interested in letting me travel for conferences and research trips, but I've said I'd like to wait until the twins are a little bit older, in case you need me," he added.

Closing the distance between them, she kissed his cheek. His familiar scruff tickled her lips, the faint scent of his cologne reminding her of when she was a little girl.

"I need you, Dad. Of course I do. But if you need to travel, if you _want_ to travel, then travel. We'll still be here when you get back."

Her father smiled, looping an arm around her shoulders, keeping her against him.

"I'm glad to hear that. And Rick? What about him?"

She recognized it, the tactic, the way he was turning her questioning around onto her. But still she was powerless to stop it.

"Rick? What about Rick?" It sounded pathetic to her own ears. Answering a question with a question, bah, but it was the first thing that came to mind. She told her father things, some things, but never quite the way she talked to Lanie.

"How's that going?"

He knew a little bit about how it was going. He knew Rick watched the twins in the mornings when she had early calls, and knew they were only going to daycare a few days a week because they were staying with Rick most days instead. But she'd been pretty mum on the rest of their relationship.

"It's… great. It's really great," Kate breathed, pushing past the uneasiness of opening up about it. She accepted a touch on the cheek from her passing daughter, helping the girl make another slow, shuffling circle around Jim. "He's fun. And he's really sweet."

"And he's the father of your children."

"He's – what?" she stumbled, dropping her hands to her thighs with a slap. Of course, Eli took that as an invitation to do the same, patting her thigh with no small amount of force.

Yelping, she gathered Eli to her chest. "No slapping me, please," she murmured against his temple.

Her father chuckled, catching Anna before her balance could fail her. The baby's face screwed up for a moment before she apparently determined it wasn't worth it to cry and went back to her task.

"Katie, I can see him in Eli's face, and Anna has his smile and his eyes. Not to mention, the night we met? A man only looks that smitten with his own children, baby person or not."

Her cheeks darkened. This was not the way she'd wanted to go about telling him. "Why didn't you say something?"

"When has forcing you to talk about something ever worked?" he drawled, lifting an eyebrow.

Fair point.

Nodding in concession, she indicated for him to continue.

"I figured you had your reasons for keeping it to yourself, and you would tell me when you were ready."

For all the times she'd sworn her father didn't know her or didn't understand her, he had her pretty well pegged now.

Looking over, she found Anna snuggled against her grandfather's chest, content to take a load off for a little while.

"I don't… do you remember the big fight we had, about Mom's case and your drinking?" she asked finally, ready to give him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Her father looked at the girl in his arms, guilt dragging his lips down. "I'm ashamed to say I remember more than a few of those fights."

"Me, too," she said, curling her fingers around his wrist. "It was the last big fight we had before I told you I was pregnant. I'd finally put her case away, and I asked why you couldn't do the same. We yelled, we said some pretty awful things. Both of us," she added, leaning her cheek on his shoulder when it lifted toward his ear. She didn't want him to carry that weight, not anymore. They were both culpable for their actions.

"Katie –"

"Hey, my story. Anyway, we'd had that fight, and work was terrible. I had a real dirt bag and his super shady lawyer –" She chuckled at his feigned outrage, shaking her head. "No, these guys were terrible. Actual scum, the both of them, and they both knew it. But after all of that, I just needed to get away for a little bit, so I went to Atlantic City. And that's where I met Rick."

Her father nodded slowly, but he didn't interrupt.

"Long story short, we connected in a short amount of time and lost touch – through no real fault on either side – even faster. We couldn't find each other, so when I found out I was pregnant… there wasn't much I could do."

He nodded again, clearly uncomfortable with even the small level of detail she'd given him. To be fair to him, she was sure few fathers _wanted_ to hear about their daughter's one-night stands.

"But then he moved into the building, and we ran into each other again – almost literally. He met the twins, fell in love with them, and since we were both still interested in pursuing something more than just… our short time together, here we are," she trailed off, letting the room lapse into silence while he processed everything she'd said.

"And it's not just… an arrangement because of the babies?"

Brushing her lips over Eli's hair, she shook her head. "No, no. It's not out of obligation. He has an ex-wife. He knows how to co-parent without being together together. And I wouldn't… You know I'd be just fine doing this on my own. I'm with him because I want to be."

"Good," her father murmured, lifting one of Anna's hands to his mouth. "That's good. Because as much as I appreciate him being back in the picture for them, I want you to have someone who makes you happy, too."

Kate leaned into him again, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "He does. He's so good to talk to, and he makes me laugh so hard sometimes. He's just different, interesting."

Jim smiled, running a finger over Anna's nose. The girl giggled, pushing away from his chest with renewed vigor. So much for her calming down soon.

"I don't imagine you get a lot of time for just the two of you, though."

Snorting, she shook her head. "No, no we don't. A couple hours here and there. Texts during the day. It's fun."

It was fun, but it wasn't enough. The texts and the stolen hours were enjoyed, of course, but they weren't enough.

She wouldn't tell him that, though. That was getting into dangerous territory once more.

Somehow, he seemed to read between the lines anyway. "You know, I'm free in the evenings next week if you'd like a night out. And I'm fine watching Alexis, too. Though I know she probably likes Katrina better."

"She had fun with you, Dad. I think it was nice to have a captive audience to teach about her movie."

He chuckled, nodding.

"But if you're serious, I'm not going to turn the offer down."

"In that case, done. Pick the night. Perhaps one where you don't have to be at work the next morning."

" _Dad!_ " Her face flamed. Yes, they both _knew_ what they meant by 'alone time,' but coming out and saying it was too much.

"I just meant so you could stay out later, sweetheart. Alexis is out of school already, isn't she?"

"Um, yes. Yeah. This week is her last week, I think. Maybe next week, but I can ask Rick."

Reaching back, she grabbed her phone off the coffee table, sending her boyfriend the question. The distraction helped her calm the flame of her cheeks.

Jim nodded. "It's not a problem if she does have school. If she didn't, it would just mean no one would have to wake up early, except to feed the babies."

Jesus, her dad really was setting her up to get laid. That was mortifying.

Thankfully, Rick's reply kept her from blurting that thought out.

"Her last day is next Friday. Apparently there's a pizza party and he's been roped into making brownies."

"Maybe Friday night, then? Assuming you don't have to work Saturday morning?"

Dropping her face into her hand, Beckett shook her head. "No, no work Saturday morning. Sunday, yes."

"Good, tell Rick to save Friday night for your date."

Awkward or not, she didn't argue. Instead, Rick received very specific instructions not to make plans for the following Friday. His reply was agreeable, but quizzical, and she typed a reply quickly.

 _Date night. Dad's watching the kids if you're okay with that._

She couldn't help but bark a laugh at his response.

 _Does he want to keep them for a week or two? But oh, it'll be just the twins – Alexis has a sleepover at Paige's for the end of the year._

"Rick says okay. Alexis has a sleepover at her friend's, though, so it's just you and the twins. Two against one instead of three." She grinned in her father's direction.

Jim chuckled, nodding. "Okay. I think I can handle that."

"Well, good. Because instead of threatening to maim the man who got me pregnant, you're sending me on a date with him. I just want to remind you of that," she teased, bumping his shoulder gently.

Her father groaned. "I'm trying to be progressive here, Katie."

She giggled, allowing him to take her weight once more as the twins made themselves comfortable on a throw pillow they'd tugged to the floor an hour earlier.

"He's a good man, he wouldn't deserve it anyway. He would've been there the entire time if he could've."

"Good." He squeezed her shoulder, smoothing his open palm down her arm, somehow tricking her into relaxing and breathing in time with the motion. It never failed to make her sleepy, not even when she was a little girl, and she turned into his chest this time too.

"S'that offer of the guest room still open for the night?" she asked after a moment, the words slurred with impending sleep.

Jim smiled into her hair. "Of course, on one condition."

"Mmm?" She tried to stretch, tried to shake away the fog to listen, but it didn't really matter. She would agree to whatever her father was asking this time.

"You let me get up with the babies during the night."

Releasing a breath, she nodded into his shirt. She hadn't before. Even when the twins were newborns, any time they'd stayed or he'd stayed with her, she'd insisted it had to be her waking for every cry and stumbling out of bed on numb legs at all hours of the night. Every time, she'd fought him, waved him off, swearing it was her responsibility alone.

But now she shared responsibility with Rick some nights. She let someone else get up when Anna cried, or when Eli was restless and just wanted to be held. She could cede some control to her father.

"Kay," she agreed, resting her eyes for a minute longer, readying herself to make the careful trek to bed. "Thanks, Dad."

* * *

Between work, Rick's writing deadlines, and the end of the school year activities Alexis had scheduled, the next eight days felt never ending.

Thankfully, date day finally arrived and despite a case running long, she managed to leave the precinct just an hour later than she'd wanted. She'd been dreaming all day about sitting alone in a relaxing bath, but with the time she'd lost, she settled for a quick soak with two sets of bright eyes watching.

Still, she apologized to them when she started to shave her legs and again after the bath when she wiggled into the lingerie she'd purchased during her lunch break earlier in the week. Hopefully the memory of her preparing for a date with their father wouldn't scar them for life.

She'd just put the finishing touches on her makeup – albeit using a compact mirror in the middle of her living room – when her father knocked.

"Guess who's here to see you guys," Beckett hummed, leaning over to press her lips to Eli's cheek. The boy giggled, clenching his fingers in her sleeve. The dress was cute, not too loose, not too clingy, but the flowing sleeves gave the kids great places to grab onto her.

"Dadadadada," he jabbered, catching her by surprise. Beside him, Anna cackled, adding her own sounds to the mix, her own version of 'Dada.'

He'd… they were…

Kate found her voice, brushing a hand over Eli's head. "No baby, not Daddy. It's Grandpa this time. Daddy'll be over soon."

Her son seemed to accept it, going back to smacking at his play piano while his sister wiggled beside him. Kate took that as her dismissal, standing and moving to the door.

"Hey, Dad," she greeted, stepping back to allow him entry. Her throat still felt tight, but she cleared it quickly.

"Hi, sweetheart," he offered, kissing her cheek. "How was your week?"

"Good. Busy, but good." She glanced around the hallway to make sure she wouldn't be shutting the door on Rick. Satisfied that he was still in his apartment and not bounding down the hallway, she turned back to her father.

He was watching her, studying her. "Is everything okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm okay." She shook her head at herself, pushing a curl behind her ear. "I'm being silly. They said Daddy – Dada – a few minutes ago. And it –"

Her father chuckled, kissing her forehead. "I cried for an hour the day you said your first word."

"It was just… it was so sweet. It surprised me."

Jim smiled, brushing a soothing hand over her back. "Well, I'll see what other words I can teach them while you're gone tonight. The less appropriate, the better."

Shaking her head, she swallowed hard. "Thanks, Dad. Thanks. Anyway, I stocked up on everything you like, so eat whenever you're hungry, and make yourself at home. Mi casa es su casa and all that."

If that wasn't something Rick would say, she didn't know what it was. Still, it made her father snicker so it was worth it.

Rick let himself in while she was in the kitchen preparing dinner for the twins. He'd obviously been expecting to see her on the couch, because she watched him jump when her father greeted him instead.

"Mr. Beckett – ah – Jim! Nice to see you again." He swiped a hand on his pants, holding it out to Kate's father quickly. "Sorry about barging in, it's kind of habit. From watching the twins," he added quickly.

"Not a problem, Rick. Not a problem. These two were asking for you a few minutes ago, in fact."

She watched her boyfriend grin before squatting to kiss the babies. "You _were_? What were you saying? Were you saying you wish you'd been able to finish our movie and you want to watch it with Grandpa?"

Anna giggled, holding her father's cheeks between her tiny palms. "No."

Kate snorted. Of course. Two words in her vocabulary and one of them was no.

Rick gasped. "No? Are you sure?"

Eli joined in, pulling himself against the coffee table and shuffling close enough to get away with patting Rick's arm. "Dadadada."

Rick froze. They all froze, but her father recovered first, tilting his head and smiling at the twins.

"That's what they were saying."

"Dadadada," Eli repeated, resting his head on his father's shoulder. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Anna echoed, ever the parrot.

Avoiding Jim's eyes, Rick gathered them up, kissing them both. "Hi squirmy, hi squeaker," he replied, sounding a little bit misty. "You've decided to talk tonight, huh? Have you been saving it all up or something?"

"It's really like a switch sometimes," the older man murmured, patting his shoulder. "And it's somewhat late, but congratulations, Rick."

"Thank you." He cleared his throat, rushing to his feet and sending a panicked look her way. "I – we were planning to tell everyone soon. We really just wanted to be a bit more settled. No, settled is probably a bad term – not that there's anything wrong with being settled, of course. And I think we will, one day, _be_ settled, but, um – secure? Secure. In what we're doing."

Joining them from the kitchen, a plate of food in one hand and bottles in the other, she silenced Rick's awkward babbling with a quick press of her mouth.

"It's okay. It's okay. He knew already. That first night, he figured it out. And I've already explained, so relax, Rick."

He released a breath, looking back at her father. "It's probably not the way you expected this to go, but –"

"Rick, it's not about how things happened in the past. You can't change that. You can change how things happen going forward."

Kate smiled, basking in her father's zen for a moment before kneeling to get the twins set up with their dinner. The veggie component was still in the fridge, but she figured her dad could have the pleasure of wrestling them into their high chairs for that once they finished their meat and cheese.

"Now," Jim added, his tone leaving no room for argument, "kiss your children and go enjoy your date."

Rick beamed, leaning over to whisper love into the twins' hair. "We'll see you soon. Be good for Grandpa. Make him let you finish the movie."

Kate stifled a laugh, slipping a hand along his side. "My turn, move over."

Rick stole another kiss before stepping back.

She kissed the twins, then her father, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Dad. For everything. We won't be too late."

"You know me, Katie, I'll be asleep on the couch by eleven."

Yeah, okay, it was time for them to leave. Before things got awkward again.

Beckett grabbed her purse and stepped into her shoes, smiling at Rick's appreciative once-over. When his hand stretched out to her, she simply slipped her fingers against his palm and nodded.

"Shall we?"

He smiled, squeezing her hand. "We shall."

As soon as the door closed behind them, her mouth slid over his. Between their warring schedules and taking care of the kids, she felt like they'd barely touched in days. Even earlier when she picked the twins up from his place, she hadn't more than a mere peck. That wouldn't cut it. Not anymore. She needed to really kiss him. Even if it meant they were late for dinner.

Rick's arm banded around her waist, holding her to him. Close enough to feel the lines of his body, hard edges and softer curves, every inch tantalizing to her.

His lips curved against hers, opening under the press of her eager tongue, swallowing her mewl of appreciation.

"Wow," he breathed upon pulling away, his breath hot against her lips.

"Yeah," she agreed, smoothing his hair down. "Sorry, I just… couldn't help it."

His eyebrow arched. "Never, ever apologize for mauling me, Kate. In fact, please, please feel free to do it again and again. Right now, if you're feeling so inclined."

She kissed him again, curling her fingers in his hair.

Fuck, she was done with slow. He wasn't going anywhere, and she had no plans to go anywhere either. The hell with slow.

"S-so," he whispered between heady tastes of each other's lips, slipping his fingers into her carefully curled hair. "Where are you taking me for dinner?"

She had intended for them to go to a little hole in the wall Thai place a few blocks away, but standing in the hallway at that moment, all she wanted was to take him to his apartment and worry about food later. And judging by his heavy-lidded eyes and the thrum of energy in his fingers, he wouldn't be opposed if she did.

"Instead of going out," she murmured, tugging gently on his lip, delighting in his sharp intake of breath. "Why don't we take advantage of your empty apartment and order in… eventually."

He practically carried her down the hall and into his apartment.

* * *

Thank God some places delivered late.

She'd initially been embarrassed when, following two earth-shattering, toe curling rounds, her stomach began to growl. When Rick's stomach protested just a few seconds later, they'd both dissolved into a fit of laughter. Skipping dinner had been so, so worth it, even if it meant being a little famished.

They'd ordered Chinese from his phone in between deep kisses and lazy caresses, only venturing out of his bedroom when the delivery guy called for someone to meet him in the lobby. Rick took on that task, darting out of his apartment in his undershirt and boxers while she lounged on the couch in his dress shirt.

She sat up when he came crashing through the door, bouncing the plastic bag with their food against the wall in the process.

"Dinner is served. And not a moment too soon, because I think my arm was starting to look a little too tasty."

Kate laughed, unfolding from the leather to join him at the kitchen counter. He grinned, no doubt pleased with his comic skills in the face of their hunger.

"I'll get the plates," she hummed, lifting onto her toes and stealing a quick kiss from his lips. "Thank you for not chewing your arm off," she added, caressing his bicep on her way to the cabinets.

Rick chuckled, deftly emptying the bag before balling it up and attempting to score a trash basket from across the kitchen. She could only manage a half-sympathetic noise when the plastic fluttered to the ground just a few inches from the garbage.

"I'll get it later," he promised, opening the containers to see what they were working with. Kate ducked under his arm, grabbing for the rice and then her mu shu pork.

He didn't seem to mind the violation of his personal space, instead slipping an arm around her waist and tugging her into the cove of his body. She felt herself purr as his mouth landed at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, tongue darting out to touch her skin.

"Mhmm, just remember, I'm not your dinner."

"There's a dirty dessert joke in here somewhere," he teased, grinning into her skin.

"And a pre-dinner snack joke, too," she retorted, spooning his food onto his plate as well. She probably didn't need to, but he wasn't complaining about having extra time to let his hands wander her body. Neither was she, really.

"Yes, yes, there was that."

She nudged his plate to the side, but didn't leave his embrace. Instead, she dug into her food right there, nestled against him.

"Best date ever," he declared after his first bite. He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth to punctuate the statement, grinning when she pressed back.

"Was it the sex before dinner or the utterly relaxed dress code?"

The question was mostly rhetorical, but she felt him hum into her hair.

"All of the above. Plus the beautiful woman who's going to share some of her mu shu pork with me. So hot."

He meant it, too. As ridiculous as the compliment was, he meant it.

"Yeah, yeah, but you're going to share the tangerine beef, so we're even."

Rick laughed, feeding her a bite of his dinner. She licked her lips, savoring the taste.

"This place is good. We should get them more often."

"We should," she agreed, kissing his chin for no reason other than because she could. Entirely too pleased, he echoed the gesture before going back to eating.

"By the way," she started a few minutes later, turning her head to see him. The need to shovel food into her mouth had been tamed, making it easier to focus on having a normal conversation. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my dad knew. He said he could tell the night he met you because of how you looked at them, and how much they look like you. And he likes you because of that."

Rick flushed, and her heart stuttered at how pleased he looked.

"You're okay. I um, I kind of spilled the beans to Mother, too."

"You did?" Kate twisted out of his arms, narrowly missing her plate as she hopped onto the kitchen counter. Rick abandoned his fork, too, settling his palms against her thighs. "What happened? How did she take it?"

She wouldn't blame his mother if she didn't take it very well. It wasn't easy to hear that you'd gained two grandchildren without any sort of preparation.

"Well, she stopped by the other day – unannounced, mind you – to drop some things off. I was watching the kids, so we answered the door together, and when I saw it was my mother, I looked at Anna and said, 'It's your gram.' Just like I would've if I'd been talking to Alexis."

"I guess that's one way to go about it." She leaned a bit, forking another bite into her mouth. "What'd she say?"

She'd met Martha Rodgers once in passing and she'd liked the woman well enough. That didn't mean the woman had liked her, though, and it especially didn't mean the woman wanted to accept the twins as her grandchildren.

Rick laughed, lifting a hand and smoothing her frown away. "First she asked if she'd had a little bit too good of a time at her actor's retreat and missed an announcement or several months," he paused, waiting for her to smile at the joke. "Then she asked me how it happened."

"Well," Beckett drawled, draping an arm over his shoulder, using her feet to tug him back between her knees. "When a man and a woman meet in an Atlantic City bar, and want to get naked very, very badly…"

She kissed him then, ignoring his chuff in favor of tracing his lower lip with her tongue and tasting the tangerine sauce from his meal at the very corner of his mouth.

"To conclude the story," he breathed, bussing her lips when she released him. "She held them both, declared them her new loves, and promised to come over for a family dinner with all of us when she doesn't have a show."

"She didn't freak out?"

"No more than my mother ever freaks out. At least not about important things." Leaning into her hand, he gathered his thoughts. "I've never known my father, Kate. It's always been just the two of us, which has had its ups and its downs."

Wow. That explained a lot about him, actually. About how readily he'd jumped into being a father, how present he was for the twins.

"So suffice to say, Mother understands and she respects the hell out of what you did. She also said to tell you I was a handful and she can't even imagine having two of me to contend with."

Kate laughed, sifting her fingers through his hair. "Does it bother you? Not knowing him?"

"When I was a kid it would get to me every once in a while, but the older I got the easier it was to see that the mystery itself was pretty beautiful. My dad could be anything; an astronaut, a pirate, a humanitarian, winner of the Nobel prize. I mean, what one man could live up to all that?"

She shook her head, trailing her fingers over the shell of his ear. "One man can't live up to all that."

However, if you asked her, he was pretty close to doing so anyway.

"Yeah," Rick agreed.

"So, um, this'll probably come out wrong, and I'm sorry in advance," she fumbled, brushing his earlobe gently. "You practically pole vaulted at the chance to be in our lives, and you work so hard for Alexis, making sure she connects with both you and her mom; why do you do that if it doesn't bother you?"

He smiled, pressing his mouth to her wrist. "Accepting it for yourself doesn't mean you want to repeat it for your own kids. If I can give them more than what I had, isn't that what I should do?"

Her lips lifted, parting to agree, but he spoke again,

"Besides, I see the look in your eye when you watch me with them. Makes you want me, right?"

Chuckling, she shoved at his shoulder. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of answering the question. Still, she let him lighten the mood and bring them away from the deeper stuff for a little while.

"Eat your dinner, Rick. You'll need your strength for what I want to do to you next."

Rick glanced at their plates – both nearly empty – before turning back to her, his eyes already dark with need.

"How much time do we have? Because I have a few things I want to do to you, too."

"Enough," she promised, dipping her head and grazing her teeth over his Adam's apple. His groan made her bold, made her pull him closer, made her fingers slip down his chest to dip under the elastic of his boxers.

His shudder made her kiss soften, his hands on her thighs made the trail of her tongue languid and aimless, and her name on his lips, ragged and desperate, made her forget to breathe.

Yes, they had all the time in the world for this, and she wanted to remember every second of it.

* * *

 _A/N: Trivia time - the working title of this chapter was_ Jim Beckett: Wingman _. I hope you all had as much fun with this chapter as I did. Thank you!_


	10. Chapter 10

_I feel like simple thank yous are a painfully inadequate way of expressing my gratitude, but to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story - thank you. Your support has been unreal. I hope this chapter makes up for the wait._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Ten**

* * *

Kate Beckett was no stranger to exhaustion. She'd survived college and the police academy, after all. She'd pulled her fair share of double shifts and all-nighters, and she'd thought she understood tired. Then she'd been pregnant and delivered twins. She'd spent night after night walking the apartment with them, soothing their every whimper or wail. She'd run on fumes for months until they finally started sleeping longer each night. She'd grown adept at concealing dark circles and had perfected the art of tossing back her first cup of coffee like a shot.

But right now, exhaustion didn't begin to cover how she was feeling, and frankly she was too damn tired to think of a better adjective.

She'd been working for almost a month straight. A heat wave, a rash of murders, and a bizarre summer illness taking out half the precinct had all conspired against her to keep her practically chained to her desk and away from her home, her boyfriend, and her kids.

Shit, she missed her kids. She missed their sweet faces, their happy smiles, the way they'd babble for her when they needed her. Hell, she missed their grumpy faces and their grouchy cries, too.

To add insult to injury, she'd missed their first steps. She'd missed watching them giggle and stagger to their feet using only their walkers for balance to propel themselves around Rick's living room. She should've been there watching them take falter and drop to their knees before trying again. The videos Rick sent her were nice, they'd brought tears to her eyes, but she should've been _there_.

Only once had she seen them do it in person. Once. In over a week of toddling.

She could only hope to be there when they stopped needing the walkers.

It wasn't about leaving them with someone, either. They'd blossomed in their father's care, and when he wasn't able to watch them, they were in good hands at daycare or with her dad. It was the fact that leaving before sunrise and getting home long after they'd gone to bed had long-since grown tiresome.

She loved her job, but she loved her kids more. She wanted more time with them than a bottle and a diaper change in the middle of the night, more than a stolen moment of brushing their hair off their foreheads and hoping they wouldn't wake before she had a chance to slip out the door. She wanted to play with Alexis and hear about how crazy her day with her siblings (and her dad) had been.

And then there was Rick. She missed his playful hip bumps as they made dinner together and hearing about his day – his grown up day, not just the arts and crafts he'd done with the kids – as they prepared for bed. Of course, she also missed the thrill of pulling him closer, peeling their clothes off, and feeling his body against hers. She missed his mouth on her neck, his hands on her body. She missed getting her hands on _his_ body, too, feeling him come alive at her touch.

It was maddening as hell to have ended eighteen months of celibacy only to be forced into another month-long dry spell less than three weeks later.

Yes, there were ways around that, but her boyfriend was usually asleep when she got in and she didn't have the heart to wake him for sex. As it was, he rarely stirred for more than a swipe of a kiss and a confirmation of who would have the kids the next day.

Her relationship was on hold; her family was on hold, and she was left with bone-deep weariness at the end of each day.

She tried not to take her annoyance out on her colleagues; Ryan and Esposito had been working just as hard as she had, taking on just as much, and running themselves just as ragged. They didn't deserve her ire. Neither did her captain, especially not given how much leeway he gave her the rest of the time.

But God, she needed a break. She needed more than a few hours at a time to decompress. More than taking a shower and falling into bed only to roll out of it an obscenely short amount of time later, fix her hair, and leave again.

She needed to do more than work.

Which was why she found herself tapping on her captain's doorframe with one of her closed case files and a leave request clenched between her fingers. She'd filled it out at the crack of dawn, but hadn't wanted to just drop it on his desk. She wanted to deliver it in person and explain herself if need be. Two of the detectives who'd been sick were on the mend, working half days already, It wasn't unreasonable for her to put in for some vacation time.

Montgomery could always say no, say they needed her here, that it was a terrible time for her to jump ship, but she had to try. She was getting entirely too used to the feeling of grit behind her eyelids, and part of her was actually starting to wonder if the downturn of her lips really would be permanent like her mother had always taunted.

"Come in, Beckett," her boss called, shuffling a few of the papers on his desk to make room for the ones she was about to hand him. She passed the file over first, reminding him that the DA wanted to see it ASAP.

"I'll make sure he gets it. Now," he paused, looking pointedly at the single sheet in her hand. "What else can I do for you?"

Beyond the half-days she'd taken for appointments for the twins, she could count the number of times she'd asked for time off on one hand. It had been a necessity while she was pregnant, but she'd hated having to go home early because she was queasy, and hated having to take full days just to make it easier on her tired body. She'd wanted to do her job until the last possible moment.

There was none of that insistence today.

"Putting in for some vacation time, sir."

To say her captain was surprised would be an understatement.

"Gotta tell you, Beckett, I'm surprised you beat me to it. I was giving you until next week before I insisted you take a few days. You've been running yourself into the ground. The boys can tell, the coffee machine in the break room can tell, I can tell."

Damn. She really had been taking it out on everyone (and apparently everything), hadn't she?

"It's uh, been a long few weeks," she admitted, licking her lips. "And I know everyone's been in it up to their eyeballs, so I feel bad asking, but I've barely seen the twins all month long. I'd like the chance to spend some time with them before they hit preschool."

Roy chuckled, taking the papers from her hand. "I think that's a smart choice. How is Rick?"

They'd met two weeks ago when Rick and the kids delivered dinner to her. Her boyfriend had sworn it was his daughter's idea to bring the home-cooked meal, but since it'd been the first opportunity for them to see each other before midnight in weeks, she didn't think he'd argued against it very hard. Kate certainly hadn't been complaining.

Suffice to say, the captain, Ryan, and Esposito had taken an immediate liking to Rick, welcoming him and Alexis into the fold. They'd teased, of course, but hadn't asked _too_ many questions about their unconventional setup. In the end, Rick had darted out to buy dinner for the rest of the team so she wouldn't be eating in front of them, giving them the opportunity to snag an hour of near-relaxation before going back to the grind.

"He's hanging in there, but I can tell he could use a break," Beckett replied, feeling her lips turn up. Talking about Rick shouldn't make her giddy still, especially not in front of her boss, but it did. "Last week was a little rough; he had a few deadlines and had to call in reinforcements."

"Your father?" Montgomery asked, a knowing, pleased smile at his lips.

She nodded, proud. Her dad had come so far in such a short time and Roy knew that. It felt good to celebrate that with him.

"They've both been really great. I just want the chance to give them a rest, too."

Montgomery smiled, looking her paperwork over before nodding. "Think you can hold out until the end of the week? Stephens and Eldin are back on rotation full-time then."

"Of course, of course. It's short notice, I know, so even next week or the week after would be fine –"

"No, next week you're on vacation. And I don't want to see you in here for ten days."

Ten days? Did she even have ten days left on the year? She opened her mouth to argue that she should save some of it for the holidays and the colds everyone would inevitably contract, but Montgomery simply lifted an eyebrow.

Backing down, Kate nodded. "I'll have what I can cleared from my desk by then. Thank you, sir."

He waved her off, setting the request on his desk. "Don't thank me, Beckett. Just get some rest yourself. You've been running non-stop, too."

She would. She definitely would. The prospect of lazing about in her pajamas and playing with her kids was just too enticing to ignore. And oh, she'd have the chance to drink coffee, warm coffee, that didn't taste like it had come out of a car engine. She couldn't wait.

She felt her lips lift again. "I will."

"Oh, and tell that writer of yours that my wife finished his book and she's looking forward to the next one. If he can't get her a sneak peek, maybe he can sign it for her when it's released?"

Kate laughed, nodding in agreement. "I keep trying for an advanced copy for myself, but he'd be happy to sign it for her when it's released. And he'll be happy to hear she liked the first one."

Roy grinned. "Perfect. It'll be her birthday present."

She texted Rick that as soon as she got back to her desk. He likely wouldn't see the message until after Alexis and the twins had their midday snack, but at least she hadn't forgotten to let him know that she'd recruited someone else into the fledgling Richard Castle fan club. She was president, of course, but she'd allow others to join.

Maybe it was luck, maybe it was the promise of a break, but the rest of her day managed to take productivity to a new level. She finished almost half of her paperwork before lunch, conducted an interview that gave them an entirely new lead for a case, and brought in a suspect to close a second one. At five-thirty, she watched Montgomery kill the lights in his office, tap his watch, and suggest her team head home for the night.

Ryan and Esposito were out the door before she'd even lifted her bag onto her shoulder. She didn't blame them a bit.

When she let herself into her apartment half an hour later, instead of the chaotic greeting she'd expected, she was met with silence. Slightly unnerving silence.

"Rick?" she called, ditching her bag and her boots by the door, digging her phone out of her pocket. Maybe he'd said they'd be at his place tonight and she'd just misread it in her exhaustion. "Alexis? Are you guys here?"

"Hey, hey, we're here," Rick stage-whispered, skidding across the floor to get to her before she could yell again. "We're here. Sorry, I was in your room."

His hands framed her face and she felt herself lifting onto her toes to meet him halfway. His fingers might've been cool against her skin, but the first brush of his mouth was warm. His lips parted in offering, in welcome, and she took the invitation. Her tongue flicked against his skin, tasting sunshine and a hint of chocolate.

Tugging at his t-shirt, Kate pulled him closer. His hum of contentment vibrated through her, sparking something needy, almost desperate in her chest.

"You smell like a pool," she murmured finally, sucking in a breath. "Why do you smell like a pool?"

Rick laughed, skimming his mouth over her jaw. "Because we went to the pool today."

It was such an obvious answer, but with his lips on her skin and one of his legs easing between hers, it was no wonder her brain wasn't working terribly well.

"Oh."

"It wore everybody out; they're sleeping on the floor in the nursery. Wouldn't even let me move them. I was about to change. You're home early," he said, shifting subjects. His nose rubbed her earlobe, making it difficult to concentrate on any train of thought at all. "Thought it'd be at least another couple hours."

"Montgomery sent us all home."

Rick chuffed, slipping his hands over her shoulders and down her back. "Between your text earlier and this, Montgomery's my favorite."

Her lips curled. "Is he now? Should I go get him for you? Let you two bond?"

"Hah, hah." Rick's fingers curled under her jacket, seeking her skin. "I'd rather bond with you."

His lips whispered over her neck, the touch exactly the opposite of what she wanted. Soft, gentle caresses could wait for later, for when they had an audience of impressionable eyes.

"Asleep, you said?" Her hips rocked against his, insistent.

"Passed out. Between the s- sun, and no nap earlier –"

Her fingers dipped underneath his waistband only to encounter cool, bare flesh. Right, he was still in his swimsuit. Well, she wouldn't argue with that. It made her life much, much easier.

"They'll sleep for a while," she finished for him, yanking his mouth back to hers. "Good. That means it's bonding time for _us_."

* * *

How he'd managed to take a month's worth of tension and banish it from her body was beyond her. Every inch of her skin felt alive, awake, and eager for more even as she sprawled against him, reveling in the steady rise and fall of his chest.

His feet were probably hanging off the side of the bed, but she'd wanted – no, _needed_ – him so badly, they hadn't paid much attention to how they landed once they'd shed their clothes. And so far she hadn't mustered the energy to move. Then again, neither had he, so he couldn't be too uncomfortable.

Rick exhaled beneath her, skittering his palm down her back. "I don't know about you, but that was _exactly_ what I needed. Forget what I said about Roy, you're my favorite."

Kate didn't even try to stifle her laughter. "Definitely not just you. Missed this."

"Me too."

She hummed, pressing her palm to his skin. "I'm sorry this month has been so insane."

His lips skimmed her forehead. "You couldn't help that, Kate."

Sitting up, she dropped a kiss on his chin. "Didn't mean to push you into the deep end and leave you stranded, though."

"You didn't. Deadline day got a little hairy, but we handled it. No harm, no foul."

His arm tightened around her waist, using the grip to haul them both into a more comfortable position on her bed. She should've helped, but it was easier to just hang on; he more than had it covered.

"The true tragedy was not having the time to do what we just did," he continued, slipping his fingers through her hair.

"Mmm," she agreed, leaning into the scalp massage. "But hey, speaking of time, I um… I asked for some time off."

Rick's fingers stilled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." It took her tired brain a moment to catch up with her words and the context she'd given them. "Not to have sex – well not _only_ to have sex, because that was definitely on my agenda – but to spend some actual time with you when you're awake. The kids, too. And give you a break after the last couple weeks."

Her boyfriend laughed, dusting his lips across her cheek. "That sounds perfect, Kate. How long do you have?"

"Well, this will probably put him back at the top of your list of favorite people, but Montgomery gave me ten days. Starting at the end of the week."

Rick's mouth slid over hers. "Ten days. What are you gonna do? What do you want to do? Well, besides ravishing me any chance you get."

Nipping at his lip, she hummed. "That much was obvious, yes. As for the rest, I thought about that."

"And what'd you decide?" he asked, coming in for another heady, eager kiss. A slip of his hand along her thigh stole her breath.

"I, ah," she stumbled, arching into his questing fingers. "Birthday party for the twins – just family. You, Alexis, your mom, my dad."

"No talking about your father when my hand's here, Kate."

She kissed him in apology, arching into his touch. Later he would preen about all of them being family, but now he was a little preoccupied. Not that she faulted him there; she was more than a little scattered, too.

"And I want to go to the beach. All of us."

It had been on her mind all day, the idea of going somewhere with him and Alexis. It might be hard to find something in their price range at the last minute, and would probably be insane trying to get there with three kids, but she hadn't been able to shake the desire. They could get out of the city and really relax, all of them.

Rick nuzzled her. "You want to go to the beach with us?"

"Yeah," she breathed, dropping an open-mouthed kiss on his shoulder. "I know, first vacations probably don't happen this soon, but –"

He rolled her underneath him, resting his forehead against hers. "You pick the place, I'll make it happen."

Kate grinned, tugging him to settle into the cradle of her hips. He shivered under her trailing fingers. "Yeah? Anywhere I want?"

"Within reason, of course."

"Oh, of course," she teased, offering her lips to him once more. "Somewhere close, Rick, so I don't have to wait too long to ravish you."

* * *

He wasn't a best-selling, world famous author yet, but it turned out her boyfriend still had some damn impressive connections. With just a few phone calls and (probably more than) a little bit of sweet-talking, he'd found them a place in the Hamptons. On the beach.

For free.

The story he'd told her just a day after she'd made her request was that his agent knew someone who needed a house sitter for _exactly_ the time they wanted to be there. Instead of payment, their hosts were asking them to let the pool repair guy in, take care of the cat, and leave the place in the same condition as when they arrived.

It seemed too good to be true, it really did, but she went with him on it. He promised it was legit, that Paula's friend was legit, and she believed him. Still, she had a feeling it had cost him more than just a few days of scooping kitty litter.

"I don't even want to know how many favors you owe for this," she murmured as they loaded the SUV he'd rented for the trip. It was packed to the brim with their duffle bags and baby things, making her grateful they hadn't tried to take his smaller car.

Rick grinned, taking the final bag from her hands and shoving it to the last open space in the trunk area.

"None, Kate."

"Now, why don't I believe that even a little bit?"

He straightened, lips puckering in thought. Impulse had her lifting into him, pressing her own pucker against his.

"For the record, I don't mind not having to pay; I just don't want you to owe anyone too much. Especially since this was my idea."

"I won't," he promised, splaying his hands wide at her hips. "I just promised a few signed copies of the book, and to name a character after her grandmother. That's all."

Narrowing her eyes, she looked him over for signs that he was lying. Finding none, she couldn't help but take another kiss from his lips.

"Thank you for this."

He shook his head. "Don't thank me; help me see if this will close so we can get out of here for the next ten, glorious days."

"Yeeeess," Alexis called from the backseat, pulling laughter from both of them. "I wanna gooo."

It had seemed like a smart idea at the time to start the engine, crank up the AC, and pack the kids first. But their plan to keep them cool and occupied was failing, because she'd seen Alexis growing more and more antsy with each passing minute.

"We're almost ready, pumpkin. Just relax. How are your brother and sister doing?"

Oh, he was good. Very smart, giving her the task of checking on the babies to distract her from her impatience. Kate had felt bad sticking her in the third row, but the thought of crawling through the SUV to get to the twins hadn't been appealing either, and it meant all the girl had to do was peer over the seat to see them.

"They're good, Daddy. Anna's sleeping and Eli's eating his block. Again."

"Good. We'll be done in a sec."

" _One Mississ –_ "

" _Funny_ , Alexis."

"I'm just _excited_ , Daddy," she huffed, attempting to twist in her booster seat to see them.

Kate had a feeling they were all pretty excited for the week.

"I know, Alexis," she called, stepping back so Rick could close everything up. "I am, too."

Thankfully, the trip was uneventful. Traffic was heavy at first, but it thinned out once they were far enough away from the city. Alexis settled in to read her book, and every time Kate glanced back at the twins, they were either asleep or jabbering to each other happily. For his part, Rick seemed content to be at the wheel, humming along with the radio, his fingers tapping to the beat.

It felt so _normal_ ; it felt so _weird_.

* * *

She had to admit, it was a little strange at first.

It was odd sleeping in someone else's bed, using someone else's bathroom in the middle of the night, even wrapping up in someone else's towels. It was weird cooking in someone else's kitchen, using someone else's pots and pans, and she found herself being hyper-vigilant about every glass and plate they removed from the cabinets. Who knew what sentimental value the things might hold; the last thing they needed was to drop part of their host's wedding set or something.

Weirdness aside, she was having fun. While they waited for the pool guy to come replace some part, they'd introduced the twins to the beach. It had gone over about as well as she'd expected at first; Eli had been unsure, but willing to give their new surroundings a try while Anna screamed as soon as her feet touched the sand and then again when Rick dipped her toes into the water.

She loved everything about the beach the second time around. Kate's daughter was nothing if not consistent.

By the third visit, both babies were willing to walk with their little hands wrapped around someone's fingers or crawl in the sand.

It had been a fight not to get misty when her son decided she could be the one to hold him up today, only stopping to press kisses to his rosy cheeks twice on the short walk.

Her boyfriend had looked like he wanted to snicker, but Rick hadn't fared much better with Anna, so he had no room to talk.

Once they made it to their spot and the kids were happily scooping up tiny handfuls of sand and releasing them into the air, Kate stepped into his side.

"This is… thank you."

Rick smiled, pushing an uncooperative strand of hair out of her eyes. "Everything you hoped for so far?"

"More," she promised. "What about you?"

"It's perfect." His hand fell to her waist, slipping under the loose t-shirt – his t-shirt – she'd grabbed to wear as a cover up. "Now, I wrangled Alexis and Anna, and you got Eli, but did you put any sunscreen on yourself?"

"I did," she confirmed, watching his face fall. Poor thing; they'd been at the beach for four days and not once had she let him put lotion on her back. "But maybe I missed a spot or two. What about you?"

Ah, that put the wiggle back in his eyebrows.

"I think there are parts of me that could use a second pass. If you're interested, of course."

"I could be persuaded," she teased, tapping his nose. "You're still a little red from yesterday, you know. Use the stuff for the kids on your face today, it's gentle."

Rick nodded, sweeping a hand up her back. "Kay. Get comfy, I'm gonna run back to the house for my notebook and the water bottles. Then you can rub me down." Off her look, he grinned, adding, "With lotion."

Rolling her eyes, she dropped to the mat beside Alexis. "That doesn't make it any better, Rick."

Alexis giggled, hopefully oblivious to the innuendo, offering her one of the sand toys. "We're going to build a sand us."

"We are? What's a sand 'us'?" Kate asked, fixing Anna's floppy hat over her ears. Her daughter batted her hand away, the "no" coming loud and clear over the wind and noise of the ocean.

She showed her the turret-shaped bucket, giggling into her arm. "A sand _castle_ , Kate."

"Ohh," she laughed, reaching out to tickle the little girl. Rick had been right when he'd said his daughter was serious, so it was nice to see her letting loose and playing. "But that's only you and Daddy."

"And the twins."

She didn't have the heart to tell the girl the twins were technically Becketts too. At least for a little while longer. She had a plan for that, though.

"And the twins, you're right."

Alexis tapped her lips. "But that leaves you out. And that would be sad."

"Hmm, ah, but wait. We have this." She grabbed for a plain pail. "The sand me. The sand 'Beckett'."

Alexis cackled.

Dear God, never let Rick hear that joke. There was being goofy, and then there was _that_.

"And we can combine the sand yous and the sand me, and make a fortress, how's that?"

The girl beamed, yanking her feet out from the sand. "Awesome, let's do it!"

"Perfect, and hey, can your brother and sister to help, too?"

Alexis's head bobbed. "Come on, Anna, come on Eli. Let's build this."

The twins proved to be more destructive than they were helpful, but Alexis didn't seem to mind. If anything, she enjoyed it more when they smashed through her sand creations and flopped into her lap.

When the fun seemed like it was wearing off, Kate lifted the twins away, kissing their warm cheeks, and carried them like squirming footballs to sit with their father in the shade.

"Mind if we join you? It's time for a break for these two."

Rick grinned, capping his pen and closing his notebook. "And for you, miss red nose."

"I am not," she denied, depositing Eli into his father's lap. "Am I? Baby girl, do I look like a clown?"

Anna giggled, patting her face. Kate winced, feeling the tender sting indicative of a possible sunburn.

"Yeah, okay, Mommy's a little red. It'll be aloe for me tonight. But let's put more on you so you don't end up looking like me."

Her daughter giggled again, trying to squirm out of her arms. Kate held fast, though, accepting the squirt of sunscreen from her parenting partner in crime and smearing it over as much of her daughter's skin as she could. The baby turned her face away with a plaintive whine.

"Oh, shush. You're not the only one getting this treatment. Daddy's getting Eli right now and it'll be Alexis's turn next, don't worry. Sunscreen torture for everyone."

Behind her, Rick murmured the time. No wonder she was fussy; it was late and they hadn't napped at all.

"Maybe they'll rest out here?" she offered. "It's a little warm, but the breeze is nice. And we can trade off going in the water if you want."

He nodded, smoothing the last of the lotion onto Eli's cheeks. Their son was pouting, but not actively trying to get away from his father's ministrations. "Let's do that. No reason to banish either one of us to the house if we don't need to."

"Kay. In that case, we are gonna have some water and relax." She settled on the beach mat, grabbing a few of the towels to make a small palette for the kids. "And then after you've rested, we'll go swimming."

Anna huffed, but didn't attempt to squirm out of her arms again. Yeah, she knew she was running out of steam, too. Kate kissed her forehead, calling Alexis over to have a bottle of water and endure her sunscreen torture. Thankfully, she came without protest, plopping at Kate's hip.

"Oh," Rick murmured, once all three of the kids were sprawled out watching the water through heavy-lidded eyes. "Mother called while I was inside. She's going to ride with your dad on Saturday morning instead of driving herself on Friday night."

"Good, that'll be better. Less traffic for her. Maybe they'll find something to talk about?"

She _hoped_ their parents would find something to discuss on the drive. The first dinner had been somewhat… stilted. Jim wasn't sure what to make of Martha, and Martha wasn't quite sure what to make of Jim. Maybe a mini road trip would give them the chance to find some common ground beyond their shared grandchildren.

"Or they could sit in silence for two hours."

"Or that," Beckett acknowledged, brushing her fingers over Alexis's braid. "But hopefully they'll realize they have at least one thing in common besides the twins. Maybe they'll realize they know some of the same people? Maybe my dad once took my mom to see one of your mom's shows? Maybe he'll want to go see her next one."

"Would he tell her about your mom?"

Kate could only shrug. "I don't know. He's been trying to talk about her more, so he might. Especially if they enjoyed the performance."

Her boyfriend snickered. "Definitely better to keep it to himself if they didn't."

She laughed a little bit, cocking her head. "It'll be fine. They're adults, they can make polite conversation on the drive. Once they're here they won't have the time or the desire to be awkward while their grandchildren are opening presents and bathing in birthday cake."

Rick smiled, nodding. "That's true. I just want it to go well. It's important. Yeah, the twins won't remember, but we will. I don't want anyone warring on their birthday."

Curling her fingers around his knee, she twisted to kiss him. "It will be fine. Nobody will be at anyone's throat, I won't have to break out my handcuffs – no, not even for you."

He made a show of deflating, only to grin and come back for another kiss. It was no secret who Anna got her theatrics from, and it wasn't Kate. Her stubbornness, maybe, but not her theatrics.

"But you know," she hummed, brushing her nose over his, "we could always push our parents into the pool if they cause trouble."

Thankfully, his guffaw didn't startle the children too badly.

* * *

 _A/N: According to my Word document, this fic is 51,461 words, woohoo! Thank you to everyone for sticking with me throughout the ficathon this summer, and I hope you'll continue with me until the very end of the story! (I've added a chapter, so 9 chapters and an epilogue to go!)_


	11. Chapter 11

_My apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out. I had a vision in mind for it, and it took me some time to make the words work exactly the way I wanted. Thank you all for your patience, as well as every last bit of support you've given me on this story._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Eleven**

* * *

"Are they almost here, Daddy?"

Rick paused, keeping the cheese knife poised over a block of cheddar as his daughter came skidding through the kitchen. The twins were hot on her heels, crawling instead of walking for the added speed, cackling when their older sister darted out of their reach.

"Are they almost here?" Alexis repeated, pausing to give Eli the chance to swipe at her ankle before taking off once more. The boy cackled, rocking back onto his butt for just a moment before doggedly returning to the chase.

"Gram and Jim?" Rick asked, pushing the sharp objects away from the edge of the counter. Just in case anyone got too rowdy.

At the sound of his voice, Anna made a detour to him, slapping her little hand against his ankle in greeting.

"Dada!"

"Hi, squeaker, I see you. Are you playing tag with your sister?"

Anna giggled, crawling into the space between his legs and the counter and sitting on his feet. "Ya."

"Yeah?" he asked, bowing his knees to allow his daughter to crawl through them in an attempt to head Alexis off. Already a tactician; she really was her mother's daughter, wasn't she?

His eldest squealed, darting around her baby sister and making another lap around the kitchen island. Anna squawked, indignant at being sidestepped.

Rick smirked, rubbing a toe against his youngest daughter's side. "She's slippery, Anna. You gotta watch her."

Alexis cackled, skidding to a stop in front of them, letting the twins catch her once and for all. "I'd kick butt at laser tag, Daddy. 'Cause I'm so slippy."

Ah, there it was. Another hint. She'd seen the laser tag set while they were shopping for birthday presents for the twins. Though she hadn't said anything at the time, she'd mentioned how _fun_ it might be to play a couple dozen times since they left the toy store last week.

Honestly, she deserved the treat. She'd been an absolute champion all summer, accepting her siblings into their world wholeheartedly, never complaining when the twins demanded attention or got into her things when his attention needed to be elsewhere for a few minutes. She'd gone from being an only child to the big sister in the blink of an eye, and she hadn't done anything but embraced it.

"You would, pumpkin," he agreed, palming the back of her head. "You're just the right amount of sneaky and quick."

Yeah, he'd buy it for her when they got home. She'd earned it and more. He wouldn't even make her wait until Christmas for it.

"And to answer your question, Gram and Jim are on their way. Your grandmother had a late start, but they're on their way. Actually, they should be here soon."

His daughter beamed, leaning over to scoop her brother off the floor. The boy squirmed, but accepted his sister's affection without protest. Anna seemed perfectly content to sit on Rick's feet and bounce.

" _Eli_ , are you so excited to see Gram and Grandpa? They're coming for your biiirthday party," Alexis sing-songed,

"Exsis!" Eli beamed, patting her cheek. Kate had been a little stunned when he'd started calling for his sister on the beach the other day, shouting her name over the rush of the wind so he could present a handful of sand to her. To say Alexis had been thrilled was probably the understatement of the century.

"That's right, Eli. It's me. It's Alexis. You're one and Anna's one."

The boy clapped, pressing his face to his sister's cheek. Rick couldn't help but grab his phone off the counter and snap their picture.

Alexis bounced, hugging her brother tightly. "He loves me, Daddy."

Rick opened his mouth to reply, but Kate beat him to it. She must've sneaked in during the final lap. "Of course he does, Alexis. You're his big sister."

Anna squealed, patting his ankle before making a break for her mother.

His girlfriend smiled, pushing away from her perch in the kitchen doorway to collect the baby and swing her up. "Hi, sweetheart. Are you playing with Alexis and Eli?"

"Using Daddy as a hiding place, too," Rick added, propping his hand under Eli's butt when he started to sag in Alexis's arms.

Kate smooched Anna's cheek. "You _are_? Is Daddy a good hiding place?"

"He's the best!" Alexis giggled.

She offered him a fond smile, carrying Anna back to their group at the island. "Daddy is the best," she murmured, lifting up to kiss his cheek. "We got lucky with your daddy, guys."

Slipping his hand over her back, Rick shook his head. "Daddy got lucky here, too." He really had.

Oblivious to the catch in his voice, Alexis beamed, hefting Eli higher against her chest. "Gram's on her way, Kate."

"She is," Kate murmured, brushing her hand over the girl's head. "My dad let me know when he picked her up. You wanna change out of your PJs and I'll braid your hair?"

"Can I put my bathing suit on?"

"Sure, honey. We're just going to play all day."

"Are we playing games?"

"Uh huh. Pool games, beach games, whatever you want to play," Kate promised. "Come on, let's go get ready. We'll put the twins in the bathing suits your gram bought."

Alexis grinned. "Kay. And then do my hair."

"And then we'll do your hair," Kate added, tugging gently on said hair. "Do you think Anna will like having her hair braided when it gets longer?"

"Uh huh."

"Me too," Kate agreed, kissing Anna's cheek. "Can I take your brother while you change?"

"Kay," Alexis agreed, ever amicable.

Rick watched them make the hand-off, hovering close by just in case the baby decided to pitch forward and surprise them both. Thankfully, Eli didn't, and Alexis took off as soon as he was secure in his mother's arms, leaving the adults and the babies behind.

Kate swayed, looking between the twins. "I got everything set up outside."

"Perfect. I'm not done chopping, but I got a little bit distracted."

"Well, the great Alexis chase was happening. It's understandable." She dropped a kiss on Eli's cheek, then Anna's, before offering her lips to him. Well, that was an invitation he wouldn't turn down.

Drawing her closer, Rick pressed his forehead to hers. "Have I told you how good you look today?"

"Mhmm, you did. As I was getting dressed. And again as I was getting dressed the second time," she teased, whispering her lips over his again.

"Couldn't help myself. How often do they all sleep in like that? It was practically fate."

Kate hummed. "Fate is what led to you trying to take my shorts off with your teeth, Rick? That's what you're going with?"

"Ah, no, that was all me. And I think it's important to note that I, in fact, succeeded."

She smirked, grazing his upper lip with her teeth. "Thought so. You were very impressive, by the way."

"Well, I pride myself on impressing you," he drawled, coming back for another kiss.

Little hands touched his ears, attempting to tug him away.

"Yes, babies, we remember you. We're also having a moment here."

Kate laughed against his lips, sending a zing of joy down his spine. "So jealous. All the attention has to be on you guys, huh? Is that how it is?"

"We made you; we get to kiss each other on your birthday," he grumbled, pulling back to drop kisses on their heads anyway.

Truthfully, it was probably a good thing that the twins had interrupted. Kate Beckett had a way of rattling his brain and narrowing his focus until he concentrated on her and only her. If they weren't careful, the kids would be deposited in their playpen, given headphones and a movie for a distraction, and the kitchen counter would see some action. (Well, _more_ action. They'd already indulged earlier in the week after everyone was in bed.)

She grinned, hefting the twins. "Daddy has a point. I think we've earned these kisses. A couple more kisses, in fact."

Damn, she'd twisted his arm. "Okay, one more. Then I should finish this plate before your dad and Hurricane Martha get here."

"Too late, darling, we're here. Come give us a hand with these bags."

"So close," he whispered, palming Kate's cheek anyway.

His girlfriend grinned, lifting into his lips one last time. "Later, promise."

"Holding you to that," he mumbled against her mouth, sighing when she pulled away.

Dutifully, he followed the three of them to meet his mother in the entryway.

"Hello, Mother. How was your drive? I hope you didn't scare poor Jim off." Rick kissed his mother's cheek, winking in Kate's direction at her expected huff.

"I'll have you know, Richard, that it was lovely. He's outside gathering the presents we brought. Now shoo, go help him."

That was his mother, always taking charge of the show.

He rolled his eyes, playing it up for Kate until she chuckled. She was still hesitant with his mother, worried what the older woman really thought of her and their unorthodox beginnings, but she squared her shoulders and faced her uncertainty like a pro.

"What happened to 'giving you a hand,' Mother?" he asked, already heading for the door. His mother barely glanced up, intent as she was on getting to her grandchildren.

"You are. You're giving me both your hands while I say hello to my littlest sweethearts. Katherine, your father and I had the nicest chat on the drive. I barely noticed the time flying."

"Hi Martha," she greeted, and he could picture her dipping her head to get the twins' attention. "Look who's here to see you guys, it's your Gram. Can you say hi to Gram?"

"Hi!"

"Hello, my darlings. Oh, I am so happy to see you. Have you been good, or have you been making trouble like your daddy?"

"Hey!" he called.

This time when Kate laughed it was lighter, given a little more freely, and his steps stuttered in desire to go back and thank her for this. For including them and working to bring their families together, even if it was weird.

"Only the best kind of trouble, Martha," Kate promised. "Only the best kind."

* * *

"Daddy, Kate, Jim, Gram, watch me!"

Smothering a snort, Rick shared a smile with Kate's father before turning from his spot at the grill. Most of his afternoon could be summed up by those six words from his daughter. They might be having a party for the twins, but he had no doubt she was showing off a little bit for her grandmother and Jim.

"We're watching, pumpkin. Show us."

Alexis grinned, wiggling her toes against the edge of the pool. "Kay, I'm gonna dive!"

"You are, huh? Like Kate taught you the other day?"

"Yep!" His little girl preened a bit. She'd been dying to show off the new skill to someone other than them.

"Just be careful like we talked about," Kate reminded without missing a beat, turning the twins in their inflatable floats to watch their sister.

Those things had been the best investment ever; the twins could wiggle and splash, but they were secure in the seats, giving Kate the peace of mind to let them move away from the steps. He should've bought them weeks ago, but he knew Kate already thought he spoiled them.

"Daddy, you're not watching!"

Rick's eyes snapped back to the deep end of the pool, meeting his daughter's baleful gaze. "Sorry, pumpkin, sorry. I'm watching now. Dive for us. See if you can swim all the way to Kate underwater."

The challenge seemed to perk her up, and he found himself holding his breath as his daughter lifted her hands over her head and ducked toward the pool.

On Kate's called three, Alexis hit the water with a little more oomph than she'd probably intended, but she didn't emerge sputtering. Instead, he watched her wiggle her way through the cool blue water, frog kicking every few feet until she popped up in front of Kate with a quiet gasp.

They applauded her efforts, sharing grins as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Good job, Alexis. You're a strong swimmer," Jim called, offering her a gentle smile.

The girl beamed, reaching out to grip Kate's arms. His girlfriend hauled her up, popping her leg to give her a place to sit and rest. "Thanks! I like swimming underwater. Daddy said ya gotta make the fishy face or you'll float."

"Rick," Kate chided, looking back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What? You have to think like a fish to be a fish. Ask Anna, she'll tell you. Eli's more like a shark."

Alexis nodded in agreement. "It's true, Kate. Watch. _Anna_ , _Eli_ , show mommy the fishy face with me."

Rick didn't know what faces they actually made, but his girlfriend's head dropped back, her body shaking with laughter in response. His heart stuttered, skipping a beat just at how contented she looked, how _radiant_.

"Rick, I can take over here if you want to join them."

"What?" He twisted, finding Kate's father watching him with an amused smile.

Jim nodded toward the pool, his lips turning up even further when Kate released another delighted laugh. "I can handle cooking the burgers if you want to go play."

"I – but you're, well you're kind of our guests. Family, too, obviously, but you shouldn't have to cook for us."

The older man stopped him, patting his shoulder. "Rick, you've already handled the corn and the peppers, Martha and I will take care of the rest when she gets back with her pasta concoction."

"Oh god, no. Don't let her near the meat. We probably shouldn't have even let her tackle a pasta salad."

"I heard that, kiddo. And I am _not_ that bad."

"My sodium levels would beg to differ, Mother," he drawled, turning to collect the bowl from her hands anyway.

She waved him off, looking past him to Jim. "I'd be delighted to help grill the meat. Just let me grab my wine from inside."

"Ah, Moth –" The rest of his protest died in his throat as she slipped away.

In deference to Jim, he and Kate had been abstaining from typical backyard barbecue beverages, and he'd hoped his mother would've done the same. No such luck, apparently.

Jim shook his head, somehow sensing his distress. "It's okay, Rick."

"Are you sure? I can ask her to drink soda if –"

"I appreciate your concern, yours and Katie's, but I'll be fine."

His head rocked on his neck. "Of course. And I didn't mean –"

"No, I know. I'm grateful that you're thinking of me, but your mother doesn't need to worry about what she drinks around me. Neither do you, by the way. I'm sure you don't love lemonade that much."

Rick nodded once more, feeling a bit sheepish. Maybe he had been laying it on a little bit thick.

"Sorry."

Kate's father studied him for a moment before speaking. "Go get in the water, Rick. Kate looks like she's outnumbered."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "I think she's trying to make up for the insanity of the last month. She's been SuperMom this week."

Jim hummed, casting a fond smile in his daughter's direction. "That is her way."

"She's pretty amazing," he agreed, watching Kate heave Alexis into the air only to turn around and swing the twins in lazy arcs. Their eager chatter bounced off the side of the pool, tugging him in with their joy.

"Go on," Jim prodded, taking the spatula from his hand. "I'll handle the meat, you get to deal with the cake later."

Looking between the pool and the elder Beckett, he could see where Kate's decisiveness came from; arguing with the man seemed like a lost cause.

"Oh, just let him grill, Rick," Kate called, sending a wave of water across the deck toward their feet. "He's been dying for an excuse since we were last at his cabin. Come sit; enjoy the water before we eat."

Jim nudged his shoulder. "Go on, I've got this under control."

Well, if he _insisted_.

"In that case, Kate, daughters, son, prepare yourselves. It's time for a cannon ball."

* * *

Dear god, he was exhausted.

They'd spent hours running around, swimming and playing, barely resting between dips in the pool and trips down to the beach. Apart from the break at dinner, he'd been moving all day long. Suffice to say, he was happy for the opportunity to _sit_.

It had been a good day. Full of laughter and easy conversation, joyful and not-so-joyful shrieking (the twins _really_ hadn't wanted to go down for their nap). He'd seen the final vestiges of Kate's tension leave her body as she got along with his mother and as their parents acted like old friends instead of wary strangers.

They'd been a family. A loud and insane family, but a family.

Now the kids were in bed, utterly worn out from their day despite the extra sugar they'd consumed in the form of birthday cake. Both his mother and Jim had retired for the evening, as well, citing their early (at least in Jim's case) wake up. He wasn't sure where Kate was – probably taking it upon herself to clean up even though they'd agreed to let the rest of the mess wait until tomorrow – but for now it was just him, the patio, and the sound of the ocean.

Gentle fingers sifted through his hair, the touch forcing his eyes open. Kate smiled down at him, her dark hair haloed by a light from the kitchen. He hadn't heard her slide the door open and slip outside with him.

Shit, she was beautiful.

"Hey," he greeted, blinking his unexpected nap from his eyes. When had he dozed off?

"Hey babe, sorry I woke you."

Shaking his head, he leaned into her touch. "Didn't even realize I'd fallen asleep. Didn't mean to fall asleep."

Kate quirked a smile, thumbing his temple gently. "Can't blame you; I could probably do the same out here, especially after today. Can I join you?"

Scoffing, he reached for her hand, drawing her around the lounge chair and into his lap. "Psh, can you join me? Of course you can, Kate."

His girlfriend laughed, pressing her lips to his jaw. "I know, but I wouldn't blame you if you wanted ten minutes without someone climbing all over you or being in your face."

"Climb on me as much as you want; I will never argue with that."

"Cute." Kate stuck her tongue out at him, catching his mouth in a firm kiss anyway.

His hand slid along her back, slipping under the hem of her shirt before returning to rest against her shoulder blade. "Mhmm, I know. Still don't want you to go anywhere, though."

She seemed to accept that, squirming to rest half on the chair, half on him. It took some of the pressure off his tired body and he felt her smile at his exhale. Maybe he had overdone it a little bit today. It had been worth it, though.

"It's gorgeous out here," he rumbled, trailing a fingertip over her bare arm. "M'so glad it didn't storm today."

Kate nodded, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Forecast said the weather isn't supposed to move in until Tuesday instead."

Of course, it would decide to rain the day they had to leave. "Well, that'll make the drive home fun."

Her lips quirked. "Interesting definition of fun, Rick. Maybe it'll hold off until we're back in the city, though. Spare us the traffic."

With the twins in the car? Yeah, that would be nice. But, either way, he didn't want to think about going home and getting back to the grind just yet. He just wanted to think about being here with them, with her.

"Crossing my fingers."

Her fingers twisted against his chest, warm over his heart.

"Me too," she agreed, rubbing her foot over his calf. He rubbed back, turning his face into her hair, relishing in the scent of cherries and sea air. His girlfriend hummed, matching her breathing with his.

"I'm adding this place to my bucket list," he announced, drawing his initials on her shoulder.

"Isn't that something you do before you visit?" she teased, smoothing her lips against his shirt. She was smiling, though, he could hear it in her voice.

"Not the visit; the house, the views, the pool and the ocean. Somewhere that's mine, ours."

"Somewhere that's ours?" she repeated, lifting her eyes.

"Yeah." Cupping her head, he dipped for a kiss. "Somewhere like this. Maybe more grass for the kids to play, though."

"Yeah," she echoed, pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth. "They'll like that. Dad's cabin is more wooded than grassy."

That was the second time she'd mentioned a cabin without offering any details. He wouldn't push about that, though, not yet anyway.

"Nothing wrong with having both." They could have both. Maybe not immediately, but if the books sold… they would have both eventually.

"Mmm." She nodded, thumbing his jaw. "He's still fixing it up, but as long as you don't mind roughing it a little bit, we could go up next time we have a break."

"Ahh." Well, that explained why she hadn't wanted to go there for her vacation. "Alexis and I don't mind. I'm surprised Anna is agreeable to that, though."

She giggled. "Oh, we take only the finest bedding for the pack and play."

"She's a baby of exquisite tastes." He grinned, palming Kate's back as she quieted.

"Dad bought the cabin after my mom died. He was in rough shape and so was it, so I guess he felt like it was perfect for him. I hated it there for the longest time; it was way too rugged, even for me, and I felt like he kept it that way to punish himself. When he started to take care of himself, he started to take care of it, too."

Her fingers trailed down his neck, toying with the collar of his shirt.

"I was on maternity leave the first time I really stayed there. The twins were still tiny, and I was a sleepless, cantankerous mess, but being there helped. Seeing how far my dad had come helped. It made me feel like it would take time, but we'd both be okay."

Rick nodded, lifting a hand to push her hair behind her ear. Her answering smile felt a little more bitter than sweet, and he pressed his mouth to hers in an attempt to change that ratio.

"I'd love to see it, Kate. And Alexis will love it, too."

The next smile she gave him met her eyes.

"So hey," Kate started a little while later, breaking the easy silence to sit up and stretch.

"Hey," he echoed, working the kinks out of his limbs as well. He hadn't dozed again, but he'd felt the lull of sleep at the edge of his mind. "What's up?"

Her hand slid over his chest, circling two of his shirt buttons as she gathered her thoughts. "I have something for you."

"For me, huh? Let me kill the light inside and nobody'll see us out here."

His girlfriend laughed, thumbing his chin. "Not that. This is… well it's kind of a birthday present."

"So is that, isn't it?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "You never said it had to be for my birthday."

Kate snorted. "Good try, but this is a present, present."

"You're really giving me a birthday present?" He tilted his head, watching her pull an envelope off the patio table. She must have placed it there while he was sleeping.

"Yes and no."

"So it's not for me?" Now he was confused.

Kate laughed, kissing his upper lip. "It is for you. It's also for me. It's for all of us, really. Open it."

Nodding, he slipped a finger under the flap, reaching into the envelope and pulling out a folded bundle of papers. He opened them at her nod, feeling his brow furrow.

 _Acknowledgement of Paternity_?

"Kate? Does this mean…? You don't need to sue me for custody, you know."

Her lips curled. "Read it," she insisted, sitting up to give him room. Her fingers closed around his forearm, stroking gentle circles on his wrist. "You'll see."

He did, putting his long-since perfected speed reading skills to good use. His throat tightened as he read, and by the time he made it to the important page, his hands were shaking with giddy joy.

She'd filled out most of it; the top portion, her information, and much of his own as well.

"I asked your mom for some of your stuff. Figured it was better than going through your safe while you were asleep; I hope you don't mind."

"I – you – really?"

Kate swiped under his eye, but otherwise didn't call attention to the way she'd reduced him to an emotional wreck with a handful of paper.

"Really. I didn't even know your last name when they were born, Rick. You're not on their birth certificates, and you should be. So," she paused, kissing him softly. "My gift to all of us is this. We'll have to go into town and find someone to be a witness as we sign, but mmph–"

His fingers slid into her hair, tugging her mouth down to his. He didn't need to hear about the process just yet.

"I love this. I love this, Kate."

She grinned, sinking into him. They were probably wrinkling the papers, but he didn't care right now. Shit, she'd…

"You're really changing their names?" he panted between kisses, swiping his thumbs over her cheeks.

"Uh huh. There's plenty of Beckett in them both, no matter what it says on their birth certificate. Is that okay?"

"So okay. Shit, Kate. It's –" He sniffed a decidedly unmanly sniff.

Her lips touched his ear. "You feed them, you take care of them, you love them the way you love Alexis. And you've done it from day one when you had every right to be skeptical or angry and keep your distance. You've been their dad in every way that matters to them, and to me. You should be their dad legally, too."

Pulling her in, he could only hope to pour his joy and his gratitude into his kiss. Somehow, a sheet of paper and practical reasoning was one of the greatest gifts he'd ever received, and it wasn't even his birthday.

Skimming his fingers down her arm, Rick found her hand. She hummed, slipping her fingers into the spaces between his, pressing their palms together.

"Congratulations, Rick, it's twins."

His laugh was quiet, breathy, against her lips. "I love this. Wow. Just… wow. I wasn't expecting it at all."

Kate grinned, pressing another kiss to his mouth. Then another. And another. "I didn't bring you a cigar, sorry."

"I'm crushed," he drawled. Taking his hand back, Rick made a show of folding the papers and slipping them back into the envelope, putting it on the table beside his chair for safekeeping. "You'll just have to console me."

She chuckled, the sound gentle and easy, brushing her nose along the underside of his jaw. "Any ideas how I can do that, Mr. Castle? How I can make amends and provide comfort to your weary soul?"

Soft lips landed on his neck, freezing his breath in his chest. Kate hummed against his skin.

"Is this helping?"

"Uh huh," he croaked, skimming his palm along her side. "Like a balm to my inner turmoil."

His girlfriend giggled, breath puffing against his skin. "That. Is. Terrible. I'm so glad you write mysteries instead of romance novels."

Rick scoffed. "You don't appreciate my bodice ripping? I beg to differ. You've appreciated it quite a bit this week."

Kate only laughed harder, shaking under his hands as her forehead dropped to his shoulder. "Richard Castle, you should be ashamed of yourself."

He shrugged, grinning into her hair. He felt a little punch drunk, high on happiness and lo – oh, and love. Definitely love, and not just for the tiny humans they'd created; for her, too. "It's the sun, it's fried my brain."

"Now that I would believe," she groaned, pressing her mouth to his chest. "I found three more sunburn splotches when I put the kids to bed."

"Ouch. Found them the hard way, I bet."

"Oh yeah. Sharp little nails."

"Your neck?" he asked, pushing her hair away to check.

"Mmm, shoulder mostly." Her hand lifted, tugging the collar of her shirt from her skin to show him the reddened streaks. The scent of aloe curled under his nostrils, answering his next question.

"Good call on the aloe. I would've helped, of course, but good call."

"You were too busy out here dozing to the sound of the ocean," she teased, slipping her hand under his shirt, tracing lazy patterns over his belly.

Want stirred in his chest, growing with each delicate swipe of her fingertips against his skin.

"I have another idea," Kate hummed when his breath picked up. Oh, she had every idea of what she was doing to him.

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

She lifted her head, pulling her lip between her teeth. "I go inside, grab a blanket, kill that light, and you and I spend as much of our evening out here as we can."

He nodded, feeling his lips turn up at the suggestion. "Mhmm, stargazing. Sounds perfect."

Kate pressed on his chest, painting her grin over his. "Uh huh. Stargazing, we'll go with that if anyone asks in the morning."

"O-ho, do you have something else in mind, Ms. Beckett?"

"Mmm, I seem to remember being forced to take a rain check earlier. I'm thinking I should cash in on that."

He grinned. "Well, I can't argue with that. you always have such great ideas, you know."

Her lips brushed his once more. "Oh, I know. Now, I'll be back, so don't move."

Mock saluting, he sprawled back in the chair. "Done."

Rick helped her ease off the lounger, holding her hips to steady her. Her fingers wrapped around his, infusing warmth into his skin.

"And oh," she drawled, turning back tap his shoulder, "minimal clothing expected. Shirt off, Rick."

He feigned outrage, slipping his hand from hers to do exactly that. "Scandalous, Beckett. But I'm in."

Her laugh lingered even after she slipped inside.

* * *

 _I've been humbled and amazed by your support of this universe. Thank you all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	12. Chapter 12

_I know this chapter took forever, but I wanted to make sure I was totally happy with it before posting. I apologize for the delay and hope you enjoy it. Thank you all for your continued support!_

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Twelve**

* * *

Watching her boyfriend write was an interesting experience.

For all his _talk_ of writing, he didn't seem to actually _do_ a lot of writing. Or at least it didn't look like he did. First he'd made a show of cleaning the kitchen after breakfast, refusing her help in favor of pushing another mug of coffee into her hands and telling her to relax. After that, he'd surfed the web for a while (and if she ever heard the words "Kate, look what I just found while I was Stumbling," again, it would be too soon), sitting beside her with his feet on the coffee table. An hour ago, he'd conducted a baby dance class with the twins to stretch his legs before retreating to his makeshift desk.

He _had_ been tossing ideas around most of the morning, but as far as she could tell he hadn't actually been getting anything on paper.

Part of her wondered if being there was distracting him. She'd even considered taking the twins and her book back to her place and returning later when it was time for her to go to work, but when she'd suggested it, Rick had turned sad blue eyes and the pout both her kids sported from time to time on her. So she'd stayed, curled up in an arm chair, watching the twins play in the playpen over the top of her novel.

There was one thing she would give him credit for: how Rick managed to write anything all day with the twins around was practically a miracle. They'd been serenading her with squeals, giggles, rattles, slams, and spring noises for the last half hour, increasing volume any time it looked like she wasn't paying attention and she could barely hear herself think. She'd even read the same paragraph about fifteen times, never once comprehending it. How he did anything productive was beyond her.

"Hey squirmy, squeaker, give your mom a break and look at me, okay? I'm going to run some ideas by you, and if you like them, just yell. If you don't, make the face you give me when you need a diaper change."

Kate smothered a laugh, watching him plop down in front of the twins. "Really, Rick?"

"Hush. This is a collaborative process."

"They're thirteen months old," she reminded him, voice dry.

"Start them early," Rick answered, grinning from his spot on the floor. "And, you know, you're welcome to give me input, too. If you want."

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to interrupt you process. Clearly you have a system that works," she teased, leaning her cheek on her hand. "Carry on."

He flashed her another cheeky smile before returning his attention to the twins. "Kay, so I have this character…"

Apparently the twins were good for brainstorming, because mere minutes later, inspiration seemed to strike. He trailed off, his face flooding with excitement. Without a word he kissed both babies – and her as an afterthought – and ducked back behind the table, touching his fingers to his keyboard.

Leaning her cheek on her hand, Kate watched his brow furrow as he worked, as he let the words come to him. He was so sexy when he got into the zone.

"Ma ma ma ma."

Lowering her head, Kate found Eli reaching for her. Kate leaned forward, reaching over the barricade of the playpen to soothe him.

"Hi, baby. How can I help yo- oh." Her nose wrinkled. "Now I see how I can help you. You didn't have to take Daddy's instructions quite so literally, you know." Pressing her lips to the shell of his ear, she hefted her son onto her hip. "Let's get you changed."

Cupping the back of Anna's head, she got her daughter's attention, too. "Stay put for a bit, little one. I'll be back."

Not that the baby seemed to be going anywhere. As far as Kate could tell, she hadn't moved more than a few inches since Rick dropped into his writing zone. She certainly hadn't made a sound.

Huh. Apparently, they really did have a system that worked.

"Anna loves watching Daddy write, huh?" she whispered, carrying Eli into Rick's room and retrieving a fresh diaper from the plastic set of drawers in the corner. "I bet you do, too, don't you?"

Her son grinned, offering her a good look at two of his new teeth. "Ya."

"Ya," she agreed, laying him back on the changing mat and wiggling his baby jeans off his legs. "Can I tell you a secret, baby? Me too."

She grinned, blowing a raspberry on his belly. Her son cackled, gripping her hair in his glee. Deftly, she untangled his fingers, pressing her lips to his little knuckles.

"Don't tell him, though. I think it'll go to his head."

"It would not," Rick called from the other room, making her grin against her son's hand.

"It so would," she retorted. "And stop eavesdropping."

Her eyes rolled as Rick huffed, giving it enough volume for her to hear. So dramatic.

Eli giggled, patting her cheek again. "That's right, Eli. Daddy, Anna, and your gram are so much alike, it's scary. You and me, we're more like Alexis. Calmer, less drama."

"You say that, and yet you were present for the meltdown at the beach." Another interruption from the peanut gallery.

Kate faked a sigh, making quick work of Eli's diaper before lowering him to his feet and offering her hands. He'd been slower to walk than his sister, but since their vacation last month he'd been more than happy to toddle around with support most of the time.

Gripping her fingers, her son tilted his head back, pride swelling his chest. Kate grinned, dipping her head to kiss his little cheek.

"Yes, I see you. You like this freedom thing, don't you?"

He giggled, plowing through the doorway and making a beeline back to baby jail and his sister.

The little girl barely looked in his direction, engrossed as she was in the game of peekaboo she and Rick had apparently started while Kate was out of the room. Well that writing sprint was short-lived.

Lifting her son back into the playpen, Beckett hummed. "Is that helping Daddy's creative process?"

Her boyfriend chuckled from behind his hands. "It always does."

"Does it?" She asked, settling back in the chair and reaching for her book. She was honestly curious about that, about how this process really worked for him.

"Surprisingly, yeah. Something about letting my mind drift for a bit."

Well, she could relate to that. When she hit a wall with a case, she beat up a punching bag in the precinct gym.

"Ah. Yeah, I know what you mean."

He threw an easy smile her way, turning his attention back to the twins once she returned the gesture.

The twins giggled, covering their faces.

Kate gasped, leaning over to tickle them both. "Ah, Daddy almost found you, Anna. But wait, now I can't find either of you. Where'd you go?"

Their giggles filled the room once more.

"Rick, have you seen the twins? They just disappeared on me."

Her boyfriend winked, shaking his head. "Mmm, nope. I haven't seen them. I thought I did, but they must be hiding. They're so tricky."

"Hmm." She trailed a fingertip along the back of Anna's neck, snickering as the girl squirmed. "Are my twins hiding? Well if they're hiding, then I guess I'll save the treat I have for them for later instead of snack."

Little hands dropped, revealing inquisitive, eager eyes.

"Mama!"

"Wha - there they are. Daddy, I found them."

Rick chuckled, leaving his chair and rounding the table to drop kisses on their heads. "Oh good, I was worried."

Her fingers curled around his wrist as he moved away. "Ahem, forgetting someone?"

He feigned confusion, already reaching for her. "Am I?"

"Funny," Kate drawled, meeting his lips halfway. She'd been keeping her distance all day to keep from distracting him, but apparently all it had accomplished was distracting her. "You taking a break?"

"Yeah, it's snack time after all."

Kate's brow furrowed. "Oh, well… you didn't have to stop. I was just going to give them a little of the frozen yogurt instead of the regular today. Nothing crazy."

"Sorry, habit. I'm used to being a one-man band again. When it's snack time, it's snack time." He shook his head at himself, smoothing his fingers down her back.

She was sure he didn't mean for his words to sting, but they did. In the month since their vacation, she'd been working double to pull her weight and keep Rick from being overwhelmed. She'd taken more half days, made a point to leave work before the kids ate dinner, and done her best not to leave before sunrise. She'd _thought_ she'd been doing better, but maybe she hadn't been if he still felt like a one-man band.

Clearing her throat, she nodded. "Well, Mr. One-man Band, go work. You've got me for another four hours. Make the most of it."

Rick groaned, his hand tightening on her back. "Don't say it that way, Kate. I can't make the most of having you; there are children present."

Well that was promising at least.

"Uh huh. Well you know, nap time is coming up… Time it right, and we might be onto something." She lifted onto her toes, pressing another firm kiss to his mouth.

He winced under her lips. "Ah -"

She froze, lowering back to the floor. "What?"

"We kind of… shifted nap time. Or we've started to on days you work later. So they're more likely to stay awake longer when you get home."

"Oh."

Well, that was sweet of him. Surprising, but sweet. She liked getting to do more than join in at bath time, or sneak a quick cuddle before they dozed off.

"But," he hummed, dipping to kiss her neck. "If you don't mind them conking out earlier tonight, we could put them down for a nap _now_ , and -"

"Dada, Mama!"

Slumping against him, she sighed. "Or not. I did use the s-word, didn't I?"

"Yo, yo, yo," Anna chanted, slapping her palm on the plastic barrier between them.

Kate exhaled, lifting her head. "Yes, yes, yes. Yogurt is coming right up."

Rick's palm slid along her back, more comforting than arousing. "You want me to get it?"

"No, no. I'm supposed to be helping here, not making you do more work. Feel free to join us if you want, but work if you need to, okay?"

"Kay," he agreed, nuzzling her jaw. "I'd rather play with you, though."

"Mmm, all three of us, or just me?" she teased. Her eyebrows lifted in playful challenge.

"Well, while the under two contingent is fun, I will admit I enjoy having conversations in full sentences."

"A ringing endorsement," she hummed, pressing her mouth to the scruff along his neck. He hadn't bothered to shave, and she wasn't disappointed in the least. The scrape of his facial hair was sexy.

"You're the best over-two conversationalist I know. Mhmm, especially when you talk like that," he added. "Talk like that some more."

Her tongue darted out, making a lazy trail up to his jaw. "Could be a long talk."

"That's okay, I have time. Lots, lots of time."

She nipped at his chin, pushing her hips against his. "I don't have lots of time, but think I can fit you i -"

His cell phone chirped from his desk, eliciting a groan from her boyfriend.

"Remember the time when we could actually make it to getting naked without interruptions?" he asked, darting around the playpen and reaching across the dining room table for the offending electronic.

Heaving a sigh, Kate leaned over to release the twins from baby jail. They staggered out, dropping to their knees to make it to their walker toys faster. "You mean the night we met?"

"Yeah. I kinda miss that time."

"So does my waistline; it hasn't been the same since," she joked, following the babies into Rick's kitchen as he answered the phone.

"Hey, Paula."

It wasn't snooping, per say. The conversation obviously wasn't private, or he would've taken it into another room - one with a door and full walls - instead of staying in the dining nook, but still she felt a little bit guilty about listening to snippets of what her boyfriend was saying to his agent.

His book was coming out soon, very soon, and he'd hardly said a word about it. She'd been under the impression that all was fine, but judging by the strain in his voice, he was stressed. Really stressed.

Guilt curled in her belly once more. No wonder he was in lone wolf mode. He had all of that on his mind and still sat through the baby jail symphony each day while he tried to work.

Okay, she could work on it from her end. She just needed to call Esposito once the twins were eating. Her solution wouldn't fix everything, the same way a week at the beach hadn't fixed everything a month ago, but maybe it would help.

"Okay, peanuts, into your chairs you go," she cooed, swinging them into their high chairs and securing them before she turned to the fridge.

She winced at Anna's screech, spinning to tickle her foot and turn the noise into a giggle. "Hey, no yelling at me. I'm moving as fast as I can."

"Dada?"

"Daddy'll join us when he gets off the phone." She stole kisses from them both, grinning at their happy, sweet smiles. "Now, let's see if you like frozen yogurt as much as you like regular yogurt."

Kate grabbed the treat from the freezer, leaving it out on the counter to warm up and soften a tad while she grabbed water and formula.

"Do you guys want some puffs?"

"Ya!"

The twins smacked their trays with an eagerness she wouldn't have expected. The puffs _were_ pretty good, but that was some enthusiasm.

"Okay, okay, puffs too." She dumped a handful on each of their trays on her way to grab the bottles from the microwave.

Checking the temperature on her hand, she looked beyond the kitchen to see Rick pacing.

"I know, Paula. I know it's supposed to be flashy. And flash is fine, but my kids are going to be there, too."

Kate blinked. They were? She was excited for the release party, but having the kids there wasn't something they'd really talked about. From the way he'd described it, it had seemed like it wouldn't be family friendly, so she'd been assuming they would drop them off with her dad and go to the party on their own.

"And I'm not saying no to that," Rick continued, scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "I'm on board with it. I'm a team player here, Paula. You know I am. I'm just saying that I want my family there to celebrate with me. At least for a little while."

"Mama!"

She turned to find Eli looking pitiful as he reached for the bottle in her hands. Oh, she'd handed Anna her bottle already, giving her the opportunity to slurp away, but Eli's had stalled halfway to his tray in her distraction.

Her head dipped in apology. "Sorry, sweet boy. I didn't mean to make you wait. That one's on me."

His fingers closed around the plastic, yanking it away from her to pop the nipple into his mouth.

"Yes, you were thirsty. I'm sorry," Kate murmured, turning her head back to Rick even as she stroked the boy's hair.

"Okay, okay. That's… yeah that's a good idea. I can deal with that. Switch the signing and the actual party. Yeah, I like that, too. Makes it more dramatic," Rick agreed, pausing his pacing to lean against the crib in the corner. "Uh huh. Right. No, that's good for me. That'll be great. Thank you, Paula. You're the best."

Kate averted her eyes when he laughed. Okay, now she was actually eavesdropping.

Instead of listening further, she made a show of opening the froyo and spooning it into little dishes for the twins. Calling their names, she got their eyes on her.

"Now this is gonna be cold, are you guys ready for it?"

They bounced in the chair, smiling around their bottles.

"Uh huh. Do you want me to feed you, or do you wanna try for yourselves?" She knew the answer to that; they were all about doing it themselves. Most of the time it consisted of playing with the spoon and maybe ingesting some of the food, but the loved doing it themselves.

She received more smiles in response.

Settling their dishes in front of them, she held out the spoons. "Okay, go for it. Dig in."

And dig in they did. Or they tried to anyway. The first few attempts weren't entirely successful; yogurt ended up on their trays, in their hair, on their clothes, even on the floor, all before the first taste made it into their mouths.

"There we go," Beckett praised, pressing kisses to their sticky cheeks before grabbing a paper towel to start cleaning. There was no reason to let the stuff get soupy on the floor. "Good job, guys."

"So what's the verdict?" Rick asked, sliding into the kitchen and tugging the damp paper towel from her hand. "I'll mop in a little while, don't sweat it."

"Rick," she started. "That's not giving me the chance to help around here."

"What?" he breathed, slipping an arm around her waist to tug her into his side. "You help plenty."

"Not enough. I didn't even – I haven't been thinking about the party and the signings and everything you've got coming up. I'm sorry."

His face blanked for a moment before sliding into his usual easy smile. "It's okay. We've been handling everything."

"We have, but…" Raking her teeth over her lip, she lifted a hand to rub his neck. Yeah, he was tense. It wasn't okay, not really. "Tell me what you need me to do to help you."

He shook his head, leaning into her massage anyway. "Nothing, Kate. You're doing what you can."

"I can do more," she insisted. "Tell me about your launch party? What's the plan? Are we bringing Alexis and the twins?"

"Oh, I ah…" he groaned underneath her hand. She had to hide her own groan; it wasn't fair of him to make that noise when she couldn't do anything about it. "I should've talked to you about that, huh?"

Well, yes. But it was understandable that he hadn't. They had more pressing things on their plate each day. It hadn't been intentional.

"Hand me an instrument, one-man band," she murmured, dragging him in for a slow kiss, teasing her tongue along the fullness of his lower lip. "I can play too."

"I want them there," he murmured. "All three of them. I know it's not exactly a good atmosphere for kids, but –"

"But you want your family there with you."

"That," he agreed, resting his forehead on hers. "And, maybe if I show people how many mouths we're feeding, they'll buy my book. Three might be the magic number for sympathy purchases."

"Rick," she chided, but her lips lifted anyway. "You won't need sympathy purchases."

"Your father buying dozens as gifts for his coworkers counts as sympathy purchases, Kate."

"I mean it." She nudged him. "It'll sell. It's a great book. And even though we didn't really talk about it, I'm okay with the twins being at the party, but maybe not all night? My dad can come after a little bit and bring them home. Alexis too, if you want."

Rick nodded. "Deal. That's a good deal. That was kind of what I was thinking, too. I asked Paula to rearrange things a little bit so we could make that happen."

Nuzzling him, she nodded. "I heard. I also heard you need to get something to Gina soon?"

"Well, kind of, yeah."

She nodded again, slipping a hand down his back. "Kay, go work. I'll take the twins and get Alexis from school later."

"Wait, I thought you needed to be at work before then? Are you calling in? Kate, no, you – you don't have to call in. I've got this covered, I promise."

"I know. I know you do." Her thumb brushed the small of his back. "I can't call in, but I can get Espo and Ryan to cover for me for an hour or so to let me get Alexis. And I can ask my dad to come watch the three of them while you work. He'll take care of feeding the kids, and I'll get something for you to eat for dinner when we're on our way back from getting Alexis."

Rick looked like he wanted to protest, but she shook her head before he could get the words out.

"You've done this for me and for us every day for the last three months. It's my turn. Now, kiss me, kiss your kids, and go back to work."

He did, stepping back and planting noisy, wet smooches on the twins' cheeks before returning to tug her closer.

"Thanks, Kate."

Kate hummed, brushing her fingertips down his cheek, watching as relief etched itself across his face. Was that just because she'd stepped up to help? Or was there something else?

"Hey, you know I'm not going to take them away if you tell me it's too much. You know that, right?" she asked, slipping her hand into his hair.

"I – yes. I know you wouldn't."

She smiled, pressing her lips to his. "Kay. I just wanted to make sure that was clear. Your name's on the warranty paperwork, too. No matter what."

"Warranty paperwork?" he asked, bemused at her wording.

"Uh huh. They're yours, too. Telling me you need a breather won't change that. That's all I mean."

Maybe he hadn't needed the assurance, but he relaxed even more anyway, bumping his forehead against hers. "I was trying not to dump more on your plate."

"Rick –"

"I know, dump more on your plate."

"Uh huh." She brushed her lips over his nose. "It took me months to ask my dad for help, so I get it. I get wanting to do it all yourself. But you've kinda made a believer out of me when it comes to this partners thing, so let's be partners. And if I'm falling down on my end, you have to call me on that."

Rick exhaled, shutting his eyes against her affection.

"Okay."

"Okay," she echoed, slipping a hand down his side to squeeze his hip. "So today's taken care of."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"And tomorrow –"

Anna's spoon clattered to the floor, sending a spray of melted frozen yogurt across their toes and cutting her off in the process.

"Hey," Rick hummed, leaning over to retrieve the utensil and rinse it in the sink. "Mommy and I don't want to wear your snack, squeaker. That goes in your tummy."

Looking over, Kate found her daughter grinning around two fingers. "Uh huh, you're proud of that. You love making us jump, don't you?"

The little girl giggled, bouncing in her high chair.

"Uh huh. Well, Miss Bouncer, I think you and Eli are going to see your friends at daycare for the next few days while Mommy and Daddy are at work."

Glancing over her shoulder, she found Rick nodding in agreement. He didn't look entirely thrilled with the idea, but he also wasn't arguing or telling her he was fine to wrangle their unruly babies.

Yeah, he needed a breather.

"And then this weekend we can go play in the park," Rick added, pressing his lips to the corner of Anna's mouth. "Promise, squeaker."

She wasn't worried about him breaking his promise. In the five months since reconnecting, he'd never, ever let her or the twins down, and she wasn't under any illusion that he'd start now.

* * *

At nearly eight the next morning, she dragged herself through her front door. Her eyes felt gritty, her back ached, and she just wanted to fall into bed and sleep until nothing hurt.

To say it had been a long night would be putting it lightly. Instead of being able to leave at the end of their shift, her team had picked up not one, but two new cases in the span of just a few hours. They'd attempted to work them both together, but she'd ended up running things down on her own at five AM while the boys handled the other case.

Too bad her person of interest had taken off as soon as he saw her coming. She was fairly certain her knee was swollen from landing on it at the end of the chase.

Imagine her surprise when, instead of seeing Rick getting the kids ready for school and daycare, she found her partner in parenting sacked out on the couch with Anna and Eli cradled against his chest. Something told her not to wake them just yet, so she toed off her shoes and readied herself to take them back to her bedroom.

Tiptoeing through the apartment, she also found two empty cribs and Alexis curled up on her side in the twin bed they'd added to the nursery. Sometime during the night, the girl had kicked the covers down to the end of the bed, and Kate pulled the sheet up to her shoulders, brushing her fingers over the little girl's forehead.

Blue eyes popped open, bright and feverish against her pale skin.

Poor thing. Now the lack of activity made sense. And so did the lethargy she'd seen from the little girl the day before.

"Hi, sweetheart," she whispered, stroking her thumb along Alexis's eyebrow. "Do you feel bad?"

She nodded, lips tilting downward in a pained grimace. "Daddy said no school. Got a fever and my throat hurts."

"Daddy's a smarty pants," Kate agreed, tugging the comforter up as well. "Is this too warm?"

Her hair swished against the pillow, no doubt tangling under her weight. Oh well, it could be brushed later. "S'good."

"Kay, honey. Close your eyes and go back to sleep."

Alexis did, snuggling deeper into the mattress.

Kate waited, letting the girl slip back into sleep before pushing off the mattress and padding out of the room.

Scrubbing a hand through her hair, she exhaled. If Alexis was sick, then the twins would be sick soon, too. If they weren't already.

And Rick had probably been dealing with it all night long. The best she could hope was that her father had stayed, backing him up while she couldn't be there, and that was why he'd sacked out on the couch instead of in her bed.

Ducking her head into her room, she saw the shine of her father's hair peeking out from her bed covers.

She was grateful that he'd stayed, but she couldn't help but mourn the missed chance to snuggle into bed and sleep until her body no longer ached. Still, she needed to get to her drawers and grab a change of clothes.

"Katie?"

She started, hands freezing on her dresser handle.

"Sorry, Dad. I just wanted to grab some clothes. Go back to sleep."

"Kids are sick," he rumbled, rolling to face her.

Wincing, Kate nodded. "I saw Alexis. Anna and Eli, too?"

His head bobbed. "All of them. The twins cried most of the night. And Rick's sounding rough, too. Alexis probably brought something home."

She hadn't even thought of that, but now that he'd mentioned it, she remembered getting sick after the first few weeks of the school year.

Okay, she couldn't change just yet. She needed to go to the drug store and find somewhere that was open to grab groceries. They'd need it.

But first she needed to down some OJ.

"Thanks, Dad. Are you staying here today?"

He shook his head. "Going in around noon. Unless you need me."

"Can I let you know in a little bit? I'm gonna run to the store for supplies."

"Mhmm, I'll be up in an hour or so."

Rick's eyes were open when she shoved into the apartment forty minutes later with grocery bags on her shoulders.

"Hey, babe," she whispered, leaving the bags in a heap on the kitchen floor and putting water on to boil. "Heard you guys had a shitty night."

He nodded, blinking a few times before releasing a long exhale.

"Yeah. Bad night. Finally fell asleep a few hours ago."

She moved to cup his cheeks, checking him for a temperature. "Why didn't you call me?"

"Tried," he croaked, shutting his eyes and nuzzling into her hands. "You didn't answer."

Shit. She'd seen the missed call and figured he'd been telling her something random. He did that sometimes when she was working late and he wasn't able to sleep. "I'm so sorry. Why didn't you text, though? All you had to do was say come home and I would've."

"It got crazy. I didn't even think about it."

She nodded, thumbing the rise of his cheek. "Kay. Just, maybe next time call Espo, or Ryan, or the precinct if I don't answer. I didn't mean to leave you guys hanging all night long. I would've come home."

"I know. Sorry."

"Shh, I'm the one who should be apologizing. You took care of three sick kids all night long."

Slipping her fingers down his jaw and over his neck, she brushed Anna's hair away from her forehead. The twins needed a haircut, but she wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to their first adorable curls.

"Glad your dad was here."

"Me too." She checked Eli, swiping drool off his chin. "I'm sorry, still."

He hummed at her apology.

"When do you hafta go back to work?"

Given that she was in the middle of a case - two cases no less – her plan had been to rest up for a few hours before heading back in, but she couldn't put him through another night like last night. Not with all three of the kids sick. She could get Ryan to bring her files and she'd do the grunt work from here.

"When everyone's better," Kate promised, reaching for her son.

Rick handed Eli over, slumping back with Anna. "What if you get sick?"

Smoothing her fingers over the boy's forehead, she shrugged. "I'll manage." If she got sick, she got sick, but they came first. The four of them had to come first.

Rick yawned, twisting until his head landed on her shoulder.

"Kids are so gross sometimes," he mumbled, pressing his mouth to the edge of her sleeve.

Kate laughed softly, dotting his hair with a soft kiss. "I know. Nobody tells you that part. It's always how rewarding it is, how wonderful they are, how proud they'll make you, blah blah blah."

"Snot factories, poop factories, germ magnets," he added, picking up where she trailed off. "Why do people have kids, Kate?"

"In our case? Because your sperm is stronger than birth control," she quipped, glancing over her shoulder toward her bedroom. Her father didn't need to hear that part.

He chuffed, pressing his mouth to Anna's hair.

"Interesting superpower to have, super sperm."

"Uh huh. Want some tea? I'm heating water."

Her boyfriend cleared his throat, wincing into her arm. "Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, Kate."

"Kay," she hummed, cupping her hand over his ear. He relaxed into her, soothed by the affection. "Jeez, I leave for a few hours and I come home and everyone's got the plague. Even you. If you wanted me to play hooky, all you had to do was ask."

"Just tired," he insisted, stroking Anna's hand. "I'll shake it off."

"I know. I'm just teasing."

"Mmm, sorry. Brain's a little fuzzy."

"Rest, Rick." She kissed his forehead. "But ah, lift up first; I'll go get your tea."

Shifting Eli against her chest, she eased off the couch. He squirmed, but slept on, making her walk easier.

"What'd you do to your knee?"

"Hmm?" Kate looked back, thumbing Eli's leg. Rick had shifted so he could watch her go.

"You're limping, Kate. What happened?" he asked, frowning.

"Oh, I uh, tackled a guy when he ran. Hit the ground pretty hard."

"S'badass," he said, rubbing his fingers over Anna's hand. "As long as you're okay?"

"Yeah, Rick. I'm okay," she answered, making a one-handed grab for Rick's favorite mug from her cabinet and prepping his tea. All things considered, she _was_ okay. An achy knee was better than the alternatives. "It's just a bruise."

"Show me?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows hopefully, tracking her movements as she brought his mug to him.

"Asking me to take off my pants with my dad down the hall. Shameless," she teased, lowering the mug to the end table closest to him and holding out a dose of cold medicine. Rick's lips quirked, his smile fatigued but cheeky as he took the meds without protest. "I'll show you after I change my clothes. But first I'm going to put them down so they can rest without one of us holding them. Maybe they'll stay asleep now."

He nodded, relinquishing their daughter once Eli was settled in the portable crib beside the couch. Rick must have set up in the living room to keep them from waking Alexis. Anna didn't make the transition as easily as Eli had, but she also didn't wake. Kate brushed her fingers over her daughter's forehead, taking stock of the delicate flush on her cheeks.

They needed some medicine soon, but she wouldn't wake them if they hadn't slept well.

"You should sleep, too. At least while they're asleep," Rick murmured after a sip of his tea. "You were up all night."

His hand slipped up her back when she sat, swiping her hair away from her neck.

"I'll relax after I change," she promised, leaning into the touch. Affection rolled through her chest, bright and eager. Even under the weather, he was still taking care of her.

"Mmm, do that and then come relax with me. I'll only get you a little bit sick."

"Only sharing half your germs, tempting."

Rick offered her a crooked, sleepy smile. "Knew it would be." He was fading again, but he seemed determined to hang on until she made herself comfortable. Acquiescing to his unspoken request, she stood once more.

She returned to the living room a few minutes later, dressed in her pajama pants and a shirt she was pretty sure she'd stolen from him in July. Pulling her hair into a messy ponytail, she crawled onto the couch with her boyfriend, letting him throw an arm around her belly and settle his head on her chest.

Her heart stuttered at how easy it felt to have him close, how right. Kate Beckett had been a cuddler since her mother died, but she snuggled with this man. She craved the chance to have that with this man.

She just plain craved this man.

"You okay?" she whispered, resting her cheek on his hair. If he noticed the tightness in her voice, he didn't say anything.

"Mhmm." He was already heavy against her, but she didn't try to rearrange him. Let her cross that bridge when someone woke up. "Tired."

"I know," she said, trailing her nails up and down his back, drawing a contented sigh from his lips. "Sleep, Rick."

"Mmm, kay. Nigh'honey."

"Night," she murmured, kissing his temple.

It didn't take long for his body to go slack with sleep. Pressing her mouth to his hair, she took a moment to take in the scent of his skin and shampoo, the tang of sweat from his mostly-sleepless night, and the smell of home, of love.

Definitely love. She loved him.

Shutting her eyes, she couldn't help but test the words out for herself, "Love you."

He didn't answer, but she could swear she felt his lips lift in his sleep.

* * *

 _A/N: Again, my apologies for leaving you guys hanging for so long. Thank you for sticking with me._


	13. Chapter 13

_I had a lot of fun with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!_

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

His book launch was supposed to be a happy and exciting occasion, but the atmosphere in their car was surprisingly somber.

The twins had drifted off as soon as the sleek limo had pulled away from the curb, so there was no chatter from them, and Alexis sat against Rick's side, hands folded primly in her lap. She seemed to pick up on the tension between the adults; where she normally would be prattling up a storm, she'd been quiet instead.

It was probably Kate's fault. At least partially.

The last thing she had wanted to do was fight with her boyfriend on the day of his book party, but she'd had a long day at work, and she was nervous to boot. So when he'd started to pester her to get ready faster, she hadn't seen the humor in it.

He'd clammed up as soon as she'd told him to back off, ducking out of her bedroom and proclaiming that he'd be waiting in the living room with the kids. When she emerged a few minutes later, apologies poised on her tongue, he'd simply kissed her cheek and asked which of the twins she wanted to wrangle into the car his publisher was sending.

They'd barely said a word the entire ride.

Reaching out, her fingertips brushed his leg, tracing the curve of his knee through his dress pants. She'd barely had the chance to appreciate him in his suit, but he looked damn good.

"I'm sorry about taking your head off earlier," she murmured, making sure she had his eyes.

Rick's hand covered hers, slipping warmly over her knuckles. "Sorry about being so pushy."

Kate shook her head, squeezing his fingers. "It was understandable; you're nervous. You didn't mean anything by it."

He fidgeted under her hand, acknowledging the truth in her words. "Yeah, I am. And I didn't."

Ignoring safety for a moment, she stretched across the limo aisle, letting her mouth connect with his chin. His stubble tickled her lips, sparking the delicate flame of want in her belly.

"Me too," she admitted, clasping his hand tighter. She _was_ nervous. This was a big night for him, his official return to the writing world, and he'd chosen to have them at his side. She would do everything in her power to make sure it went well.

"Why are you nervous? It's a party, Daddy; you love parties!" Alexis spoke up, lifting her cheek from Rick's arm.

Rick chuckled, brushing his fingers over the girl's hair. At first, Kate had thought his mother had come over to help get everyone ready, but Alexis had informed her that Daddy had been the one to curl her hair.

He'd done a damn good job. If they'd had more time, she might've asked him to help tame the mess she called her hair, too.

"It is a party, pumpkin, but a lot of people are going to want to talk to me about my books. And that's what's making me nervous."

"Oh. But s'gonna be okay, Daddy. Kate liked it, and that means it's really good."

Kate's cheeks flushed. He'd pressed a copy of the book into her hands two nights ago, kissed her, and asked her to tell him what she thought when she could. She'd stayed up all night reading, crawling into bed beside him to kiss him awake and promise she loved it before squirming away and getting ready for work. "You know it's really good because I liked it?"

"Uh huh. So s'gonna be okay," Alexis repeated, adamant.

Rick grinned, brushing his lips over his daughter's forehead. "You make an excellent point, pumpkin. Kate has great taste. We'll trust her judgment."

Yeah, that helped her nerves. Still, she smiled, freeing her hand to retreat to her side of the car. Beside her, the twins snuffled in their sleep. Alexis had recovered well from her cold, but over two weeks later, the twins were still sniffling a little. She tried not to worry, but she'd already decided to take them back to the doctor in a few days if nothing changed.

"They okay?"

She nodded, brushing her knuckles down her son's cheek. "Yeah. Noses are running again, but they're good. I'll wake them in a few minutes so they're not frowning in all of your red carpet pictures."

"Good thinking," he agreed, passing her a cloth from his pocket. "So hey, I wasn't sure how much exposure you'd want to have – for them or for yourself – but I know someone will want at least one photo of the five of us. Is that – are you good with that?"

That much was a given. He was the man of the hour and they were his family, of course someone would want to feature them. She didn't mind that too much.

"That's okay. Just… let's try to keep the little ones out of the spotlight when you become super famous?"

His foot nudged hers, a subtle reminder not to jinx anything. "Of course, Kate."

"Kay." She smiled, resting her arm on Anna's seat, ready to coax her awake. "Hey, sweetheart, open your eyes for me. We're almost there."

The baby grunted, lifting a hand to push Kate's fingers away from her face.

"I know, I know. You love sleeping in the car. And you'll get to sleep again on the way home with Grandpa. But for _now_ , it's time to wake up," she hummed, kissing Anna's fingers.

Her daughter's eyes slid open a moment later. Yeah, she looked impressed. Kate decided to risk more of her ire by wiping her nose, humming in acknowledgment when she whined.

"I know, Anna. I'm sorry. First I wake you up, then I wipe your nose. Mommy's just so mean. But you want to be awake to clap for Daddy, don't you? Like we've practiced?"

That got a smile from her, tiny though it was.

Rick's head popped up from his contemplation of his palms.

"You practiced something? Wha- what'd you practice?"

Kate winked, but otherwise ignored the question, turning to rub Eli's chest to rouse him instead. He was always the easier of the two. He didn't disappoint this time, stretching against the confines of the car seat before his eyes even opened.

"Hi, Eli. We're almost to Daddy's party. Are you excited?"

He offered her a little smile before craning his neck to look for Rick.

"Daddy's with us don't worry. He's right across from your chair." Glancing over at Rick, she lifted an eyebrow. "I think we know who you'll be carrying into this thing."

Her boyfriend chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"Can I carry Anna?" Alexis asked, voice brimming with hope.

Kate bit her lip. "Well… maybe once we see how many people are there. But even if I'm carrying her, you can hold her hand or her foot, okay?"

The little girl grinned, appeased by the compromise. "Kay."

"Kay," she repeated, slipping her foot against Rick's, comforting them both.

* * *

She'd been anticipating a hoard of photographers to come rushing out of nowhere, swamping them as soon as the limo rolled to a stop, but the sidewalk was empty when they pulled up. That helped; it made it easy to unload the children without drama or tears. But even without the flash of cameras outside, her fingers fidgeted against Anna's dress as she mulled over what was to come when they stepped inside.

Somehow sensing her discomfort, Rick's hand slid across her back, easing her as close as he could get her with the twins and Alexis squished in the middle.

"You okay?" he murmured, his breath wafting across her hair.

She leaned into his touch, exhaling as his lips slid over the curve of her ear.

"Uh huh. Just um, little bit antsy."

Rick nodded in understanding, stealing a kiss. It was just a quick press, but she lifted into his lips, wanting more. "Me too. We'll stick together, okay?"

Lifting a hand from Alexis's shoulder, she palmed her boyfriend's jaw to keep him close. "Kay," she agreed. "We'll stick together."

His cheek lifted under her hand, and she couldn't help but taste his smile once more. There would be times when he had to go off on his own, she knew, but it helped knowing he wouldn't leave the four of them to the wolves.

"Ready?"

Pulling away to check on the kids, she nodded.

Rick returned the nod, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. "Kay, let's do this."

It may have been quiet outside, but inside was a completely different story.

No sooner had they walked through the door of the Widmark Hotel than a dozen people were upon them, calling Rick's name. Rick stiffened beside her, doing a credible impression of a deer in the headlights for just a moment before his face slid into an easy smile.

"A man could get used to a greeting like this," he offered, chuckling. Beckett saw his hand slide over Eli's back, soothing the boy – or maybe himself – even as they pushed deeper into the crowd. "Thank you all for coming."

Alexis did the same for Anna, smoothing her hand over the bow on her sister's dress.

"Don't be scared, Anna. It's okay."

Kate nodded, brushing a curl behind Alexis's ear. "You're right, Alexis. It's all okay."

She just needed her own guts to quit rolling, then maybe she would believe that. Still, she faked a smile and stepped up to Rick's side. His smile deepened, pride swelling his chest as his arm curled around her shoulders.

"To answer your question, tonight I'm being escorted by my four favorite people. My son, my daughters, and the breathtaking, extraordinary woman who puts up with me."

Smooth talker.

Kate's cheeks flamed, but she tapped her cheek against his shoulder in thanks before returning her attention to the photographers.

"Eh, he's alright," she jested, hefting Anna higher on her hip as their audience laughed. "So are we doing pictures?"

Camera flashes answered her question.

What felt like four hundred pictures later, the suggestion was made to get a few of Rick alone and a few of just her and Rick.

She hesitated, thumbing Anna's hand. Her daughter was more than ready to be done with all of this. "I haven't seen my dad," she murmured, lifting her eyes to Rick's. "Or your mom."

"Right," he exhaled, looking around. "Oh! I have the solution. There's Paula, my agent. She's met them before. She can watch them for a few minutes?"

Following his gaze, Kate saw a dark-haired woman squeezing through the crowd. She'd never met her, but Rick seemed to like her. Plus, she was to thank for their vacation at the end of the summer, so she clearly didn't mind helping them with personal matters.

"You sure?"

His head bobbed. "Yeah, yeah. I mean, she's not super warm and fuzzy, but it'll be okay for a few minutes."

"Kay," she agreed, kissing Anna's cheek. "Daddy's friend is going to hold you for a minute. But you'll still be able to see us."

Her daughter didn't look convinced in the least, squirming toward Rick and bleating his name for help.

"Hey, hey," Rick said, kissing Anna's fingers. "You know Paula. You both laughed at me when Eli got yogurt in my hair the other day, remember?"

Beckett bounced the baby, trying to elicit a giggle from her. "You laughed at your daddy? Was it because he made a funny face? I bet he made a funny face. His face looks pretty funny now, doesn't it?"

"Hey!"

"Just trying to keep you humble, Castle. Just trying to keep you humble."

He grumbled as he handed Eli over to his agent, but didn't argue with that point.

She stepped up to the brunette a moment later. "Hi, Kate Beckett. Thanks for watching them for a few minutes."

"Paula Haas. And no problem. Gotta make our golden boy over there look good. I'm telling you, people are going to love him."

Beckett glanced over her shoulder to find Rick taking a photo with Alexis. He already looked pretty good to her.

"Okay." She brushed Eli's leg, noting the way his face had already begun to fall. "This will be quick, I promise."

The tears started just as she made it back to Rick's side. Two pictures later, Anna followed suit, joining her brother in a chorus of agitated wails.

"Oh no."

Paula stepped aside, Alexis hot on her heels, trying in vain to settle the twins.

Kate winced, turning her face into her boyfriend's shoulder. "Should I –"

" _Hello_ , my darlings. Oh, what is all this? Were you missing us? I think you were."

Rick exhaled, fingers skimming her waist. "There they are. My mother and your father have come to our rescue."

"Oh thank God."

She watched her father and Martha relieve Paula of her tear-eyed, squirming charges, shaking her head as the twins' tears magically dried. Apparently if Mommy and Daddy were indisposed, Gram and Grandpa were the next best thing.

"Crisis averted. Everybody back to DEFCON four," Rick quipped, pulling a hearty cackle from her lips just as another flash went off.

That was the last picture they needed.

"Hard part's over," the man at her side murmured, leading her around a few straggling photographers to where their family was waiting. "From now on it's just mingling and food."

"Good," she breathed, reaching out to kiss her father's cheek in greeting. She left Eli with him for the moment, not wanting to start another incident so soon. "Not that that wasn't fun, but mingling and food sounds better."

Rick nodded. "Especially the food part."

Alexis lit up at the mention of dinner, bumping her head against Rick's side. "Daddy, I'm so hungry."

"Okay, pumpkin. We'll eat _then_ mingle. Let's see what kind of spread they've got for us. That'll really tell me how they think this book will do."

Kate snorted, pushing on his shoulder. "Let's go; I'm pretty hungry, too."

To Rick's delight, the buffet was well stocked. They were able to get Alexis and the twins situated at a table, sitting for only half an hour themselves before they were ushered off to work the room.

She felt a little bit bad leaving her father and Martha to watch three kids, but it was actually fun wandering around and chatting with people, her arm looped through Rick's like they did this everyday. And with every person who approached them to praise his work, she felt her boyfriend relax even further.

Silly man; she'd _told_ him his book was amazing.

All too soon, Paula appeared at Rick's elbow, handing her a glass of champagne in trade for her boyfriend's attention.

"Sorry to interrupt, but he's up now. Hope you're ready to sign some books and shake more hands, Rick."

Nodding, she accepted the glass without protest. "And that's my cue to go relieve our parents. I'm sure they're ready for a break."

Rick nodded, tugging her in for a steadying kiss. "Wish me luck."

Smoothing his open collar down, she shook her head. "Don't need to; you'll knock 'em dead."

She let him steal another kiss before sending him on his way. It was the least she could do, really.

Two hours later, she had to admit the party was nothing like she'd expected it to be, but it was nice. Really nice.

Rick hadn't yet made it back to the table, but she couldn't complain, not even a little bit. Her stomach was happy after another trip to the buffet, her body was pleasantly warm from the champagne, and her boyfriend was just _so_ attractive as he signed books and thanked people for coming. She enjoyed just watching him from across the room.

"He's something else, isn't he?" Martha observed, slipping into a seat beside her, pulling Kate out of her contemplation.

"Hmm?" With Alexis asleep against her side and Eli slumped in the center of her chest, she couldn't move very far, but she managed to twist to face Rick's mother.

"My son, the man of the hour."

Chuckling, she nodded. "He is, but he's earned it. All of it."

The older woman tapped her champagne flute against Kate's empty glass. "Hear, hear."

Rick's laughter carried across the room, making her smile grow. "He's so happy tonight."

"He is," Martha agreed. "And I personally think you're more than partially to thank for that."

"Martha, no," she denied, swiping her thumb over Alexis's shoulder. "This is all him. He's worked so hard to make this happen; I had nothing to do with that. The ball was rolling long before we started dating."

"I know, darling. Being here, having an evening like this," she paused, gesturing around the room, "has helped him to be confident in his work again. But that's not what I meant. My son takes his lumps, accepts his failures, and keeps going – he always has – but it's nice to see him truly happy. And that, my dear, is because of you and this family you're creating."

Dipping her head, she attempted to hide the redness staining her cheeks. "He does the same for me. Makes me happy that way."

Martha's thin fingers covered her knee, her grip gentle but firm. Exactly like her son's. Slipping her hand from Alexis's shoulder, Kate returned the squeeze. Lifting her eyes a moment later, she found herself on the receiving end of a knowing, tender smile from the older woman.

"That is the only thing I could ask for for him."

Clearing her throat, Kate nodded.

"Now," Martha continued a few minutes later, "I think it is time to take the littlest party-goers home and let you and Richard enjoy the rest of your evening. I told your father I would help him, so you two don't have to worry about a thing tonight. Stay out as late as you'd like; _all_ _night_ if you want. I'm not one to judge."

Kate laughed softly, feeling her cheeks heat up once more. First her father, now Rick's mother.

"Rick will want to say goodnight first," she murmured, dropping a kiss to Alexis's hair. A glance at her son told her he was passed out against her breast, drooling on her dress. "Can you grab him for me?"

Martha gave her knee another quick squeeze before getting to her feet. "You got it, kiddo. I'll be right back."

"Thanks."

Rick's mother scurried off in a flash of beads, sequins, and clinking gold bangle bracelets.

"Rick's not the only one who's something else," Jim murmured, sliding into the chair the other woman had vacated. He'd taken Anna for a walk around the hotel, but it didn't surprise her that he'd returned in time to hear that conversation.

Leaning her cheek on her father's shoulder, she chuckled. "No, no he isn't."

He nodded his agreement, shifting Anna into his other arm. She watched him flex feeling back into his fingers, but he didn't complain.

Taking a deep breath, Kate added, "Thank you for being here. I know you pretty much ended up babysitting, and were probably bored out of your mind, but it means a lot to have you here."

"I've had fun. Babysitter or no, I've had a good time tonight."

She nodded, lifting her eyes. "You sure?"

"Yeah, Katie," he promised. "I've met interesting people, I've spent time with you and Rick, I've seen these three; it's been a good night."

Her heart swelled at his sincerity. He wasn't putting her on or telling her what he thought she'd want to hear. He'd had a good night.

"Good." Grinning, she turned her face into his jacket sleeve. "I'm glad."

"And I'll have an interesting story to tell everyone at work after I _casually_ suggest they go buy Rick's book."

Her laugh startled Eli, but a soft hum settled him once more.

"Tell everyone you see. Tell people on the subway, when you're in line for coffee, whatever. I want sales to be through the roof for him."

"I'll do what I can, sweetheart."

"Thanks."

She looked up to find Rick sauntering their way, his smile crooked and pleased and oh, so sexy. Lifting her head from her dad's shoulder, she found herself swallowing hard and pulling her lip between her teeth. Some alone time wouldn't be bad at all, especially if he kept smiling like that.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," she echoed, tipping her chin up. Her mouth curved as he braced his hand on the back of her chair and met her lips in an unhurried kiss. "How's it going?"

"So good," he breathed, little boy awe coloring his voice. "I'm sorry I kinda ditched you guys. James Patterson wanted to meet me after I finished signing."

"Rick, that's so cool. What'd he say? And you're fine; I've been a pillow for the last forty-five minutes."

His fingers slid from the chair to the back of her neck, squeezing gently.

"Ah, but you're a sexy pillow," he rumbled, swiping his mouth across her cheek. "He just said it was really nice to talk to me. He'd enjoyed the book and offered his help if I needed anything going forward."

"That's fantastic," she breathed, claiming his mouth again, a little more insistent this time.

"Mhmm," Rick hummed when they parted, licking his lips. "Mother said she and your dad were taking the kids home?"

"Yeah. As you can tell, they are sacked out."

Her boyfriend chuckled, dipping his head to see exactly that. "Yeah they are. Kay, give me Alexis, let's get them out to the car."

"I can get her," she protested, closing her arm around Alexis. "You shouldn't leave your own party."

"Nah, we're coming right back. Though nobody'll notice if we disappear for a few minutes at any time," he added for her ears only, wiggling his eyebrows in suggestion.

A thrill rolled up her spine. She wasn't opposed to the idea, not at all. But it also wasn't something she was going to agree to in front of her father. She'd given Jim more than enough information about her sex life to last them both a lifetime.

Instead, she cleared her throat and nodded for him to take Alexis. "Let's just get them into the car, Romeo."

Judging by the mischief in his eyes, Rick understood anyway.

* * *

In the end, they didn't sneak away for a quickie. The thought crossed both of their minds, but they were pulled back into a conversation as soon as they returned to the party, and after that all eyes were on him again.

She didn't mind the loss of private time. Not with the way Rick's arm stayed curled around her hip, his fingers branding her through her dress, or with the way he introduced her to new people with such pride.

There would be time for themselves later. For now, she was happy to remain present, swiping her hand up and down his back as he networked, claiming him as hers.

When it looked like things were winding down, his hand closed around hers, leading her to the courtyard they'd both been eyeing at certain times throughout the night.

"Needed some air?" she asked, slipping an arm around his neck as soon as they had made their grand escape.

"Mhmm. Just for a few," he explained, pulling her closer. For a moment, she thought he would start to sway, but his body remained still.

Her lips brushed his jaw. "No arguments here."

"Having fun?" he asked finally, after the sounds of the party had begun to fade away, tracing a finger along the open back of her dress. A shiver licked down her spine. She may have fallen in love with the slinky lines and the indigo ink color, but really, she'd picked this dress with his light touches in mind.

"Mhmm, I am having lots of fun with you," she replied, trailing her fingers through his hair. "And the party's not so bad either."

Rick chuckled, nodding. "Me too."

"What about you, Mr. Author? Now that some of the euphoria has worn off, are you having fun?"

"I am. I'm having fun."

"Mmm, but?" she asked, thumbing the skin behind his ear.

"This is… more than I expected it to be."

Her head tilted, eyes meeting his and holding. He'd hidden it so well all night long, she never would've expected him to say that. "Better though, right?"

His hand flattened on her back, pulling her body flush with his. "So much better. Overwhelming still, but so much better."

"Good," she murmured, thumbing the back of his head. "I'm so proud of you, Rick."

Her boyfriend's face lit up, the kid at Christmas returning for just a moment before he managed to school his features again.

"Proud enough to do this with me again in six months?" He was going for casual, but she heard the emotion – pure hope and exhilaration – behind his words.

"I- six months?"

"When they release the book I finished last week while you were nursing your fever."

She gaped.

"You _finished_ the book while I was sick? How?"

After over a week of fighting it, she had succumbed to the family cold. And she was sad to say, she hadn't been a very good patient for her poor boyfriend. How he'd managed to take care of her and the kids, and finish his book was beyond her.

"Uh huh. Kids were at school and daycare, you were sleeping for most of the day; everything just came together. You, Detective, are very inspiring."

A laugh bubbled out of her throat. "I'm inspiring when I'm sick?"

His head rocked from side to side. "All the time, Kate. Even when things are insane, I've never wanted to write this badly. I've never had this much to say either. That's you. That's how I managed to finish in time to lock them into an April release."

"Got it in just in time, huh?"

Rick nodded. "Uh huh. That's not all. I was talking to Gina earlier, and they're thinking about signing me for a longer contract if that one does well. More books. More parties like this, if you're in."

She squawked, flinging her arms around him. "Rick! That's amazing." Her lips scraped his jaw. "It'll take some getting used to, but I'm in."

He beamed, hauling her closer. She felt his lips brush her neck, gentle, thankful. "Thanks, Kate. Thank you. It'll be an adjustment for me, too. But I promise not to cheap out and make the party your anniversary present."

Oh wow, their first anniversary was in April. April would make it a year. She'd never been with anyone that long. Not her timid high school boyfriend, not the grunge rocker her father hated, not anyone she'd dated in college or after. After a few months, every single one of those relationships had fizzled out.

But not this relationship. They would make it. Call it blind optimism, call it naivety, call it her gut, but she knew they would make it. And Rick knew it, too.

Her lips lifted higher, joy splitting them wide open. "Deal, babe. You have yourself a deal."

"Kay," he breathed, palming the small of her back. "It's a deal."

That was all the warning he gave her before his mouth claimed hers to seal the bargain.

* * *

 _A/N: I haven't been able to respond to reviews as much as I'd like, but please know each and every one fills me up and leaves me humbled. I am so grateful for your kind, thoughtful words, and I just wanted to thank you all once more._


	14. Chapter 14

**Take the Stairs - Chapter Fourteen**

 _I haven't had a chance to say personal thank yous to everyone for your kind words on last chapter, but please know each one has absolutely filled me up. Thank you so much._

* * *

For the first time in their relationship, she was getting home from work before him.

Since his book's release the month before, Rick had been averaging at least three events – signings, readings, and meet and greets – a week, which meant she'd been tasked with stepping up at home. So far, save for a couple days when she'd been stuck in an interrogation, she'd managed to pass the test with flying colors. She was never late to pick Alexis up from school, she never forgot to get the twins from daycare, and the four – five if she knew her boyfriend would be home in time – of them ate a meal she cooked nearly every night.

Not too shabby for a woman who worried far too often about balance in her life.

Of course, with every tantrum or seemingly endless bargaining session, she missed Rick a little more. All three of the kids were smart and headstrong, and it was a miracle that he had never called and begged her to come home and just help him _deal_ with them.

He was SuperDad, he really was.

And according to her watch, SuperDad would be home at any minute, which was good, because she was pinned under three sleeping children and hadn't so much as stretched her legs in hours. She really hadn't thought this one through when Alexis begged to watch a movie after dinner and they'd pulled the twins into the cuddle pile.

Speaking of dinner, the remains were still sitting on the stove, cold. She would have to heat them up for Rick when he came in.

Once she unearthed herself from the pile, of course.

"Luuucy, I'm home."

"Hi, Ricky," Kate singsonged, covering Alexis's ear to keep from waking her. She'd been the last one to succumb to sleep and Beckett didn't want playtime to interfere with that. "How was your reading? And the signing?"

She watched as he dropped his bag beside hers and kicked off his shoes. His toes wiggled against the carpet, drawing a smile to her lips; he had a hole in his sock.

He exhaled. "Both were, to put it simply, amazing."

"Yeah?" she asked, lifting her chin for a kiss. He bussed her lips quickly, moving back to the closet to hang his coat. "Tell me about it? Did your harem attend this one too?"

She found it a little bit hilarious that he had groupies already. A collection of five or so women had attended every event he'd done so far, making sure to get his signature and pose for pictures at each one.

Rick chuckled, coming back for another kiss. "They did, though Amanda was missing this time."

"Shame," Kate drawled, cupping the back of his neck to keep him close for another moment. "She's the blonde with the big –"

"Teeth," he supplied, glancing down at the little ones in her lap. Right, oops.

"Uh huh. So how were your biggest fans tonight?"

His forehead landed against hers. "I dunno, how've you been since we talked last?"

"Smooth. We had a good night. Did homework, ate dinner, watched _Mulan_ for the eighteenth time this week. Then they dozed off and here we are."

"Sounds like fun," he said, brushing his hand over Alexis's hair. "Want me to help get them to bed?"

"Mmm, please. And then I'll heat up the leftovers for you? If you want?"

"Sounds great." He grinned, swiping his lips against hers again. "I grabbed a snack between events and that's long-since worn off."

She nodded, helping ease Alexis into his arms. The little girl cuddled closer, pressing her nose into his neck.

"HiDaddy."

"Hey pumpkin," he whispered, stroking his fingers down the girl's hair. "How was your night?"

"Good. We watched _Mulan_." She yawned, gripping her father's shirt. "Howwasyourparty?"

"My signing was a lot of fun, sweetheart. I'll tell you about it in the morning. How's that?"

Alexis nodded. "S'good, Daddy."

"Good. Now, close your eyes. We'll see you tomorrow."

Kate rubbed her back. "Yeah we will. Sleep well, Alexis."

Her words went unanswered; the girl was already out again.

Chuckling, Rick stood. "I'll be back."

She nodded, trailing her fingertip over Eli's ear. "We'll be here."

Rick grinned over his shoulder. Yeah, he knew they'd be there because with the way they were sprawled, it would take some serious wiggling and maneuvering for her to stand with both babies in her arms.

He returned a few minutes later, kneeling at her feet to lift Anna out of her lap. The baby squirmed, but didn't wake, nestling against his shoulder.

"Okay babies," Kate murmured, gathering Eli to her chest. "Time for you to go to bed, too. You'll see us in the morning."

"You're off in the morning?" Rick asked, following her to the dining nook and scooping the twins' elephants off the table.

"Yeah. I wasn't sure how late you'd be tonight, so I figured I could take Alexis to school and let you sleep in."

His eyes lit up. "And will you come back to bed after you drop her off?"

Lowering Eli to the crib mattress, Kate wiggled her eyebrows. "Back to bed to sleep? I dunno, Rick. The twins might be up by then, and I have some paperwork I could do, plus you know how hard it is for me to go back to sleep after I've been awake for a while," she teased.

"Cute."

"Cuter than your harem?"

He was quick, but she was quicker; she was able to dance away from his grabbing hands without so much as a squeal. She didn't go far, though, and he caught up with her in the kitchen, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Caught ya."

"Let you catch me," she murmured, turning her face to accept a kiss. "Is this enough food?"

His fingers curled around her hips. "That's more than enough. Thanks, by the way."

"For heating up dinner?" Her eyebrow lifted.

Rick shook his head, swaying along with a tune only he could hear. "For all of this. Everything you've done since the book came out. And before, of course, but all of this…"

Turning away from the stove, she looped her arms around his neck. "Rick, if you even think about thanking me again for this, I may have to shoot you. Don't make me shoot you."

His laughter echoed through the kitchen. "Duly noted."

Lifting onto her toes, she took a heady kiss from his lips. "Good. Now I'm going to pour us some wine while you tell me more about tonight."

* * *

She was having second thoughts.

After hearing Rick's excitement two nights ago, she'd wanted to see one of his signings for herself; thus the plan was hatched. She would pick Alexis up from school and take all three of the kids to Rick's signing so they could see their father in action. It had seemed like such a great idea at the time, it really had. So like most of her plans in life, it couldn't have been that simple.

First, Alexis needed to run an errand for school and it _had_ to be done before she could start her homework. Then the twins needed their snack, which meant pulling the stroller over in the middle of a crowded sidewalk blocks from home and getting them set up with their puffs and goldfish. Then, of course, the four of them ended up at the wrong bookstore – the one Rick had signed at two days before – because she'd read his schedule wrong.

By the time they arrived at the right place, the line was already out the door. On one hand, it was encouraging to see so many people excited to meet Rick and support him (and the disproportionate number of women in attendance was amusing), on the other, she had three kids in her custody who were starting to look like they'd rather be anywhere else.

Beside her, Alexis sighed. Her fourth sigh in fifteen minutes. She was not a happy camper.

"I know, honey. I'm sorry," Kate apologized, stroking her hair. "Are you sure I can't hang your backpack on the stroller?"

The girl's ponytail thwapped against her arm with her denial. "I wanna sit."

Beckett's eyes dropped to the ground, scanning the ruddy concrete and the discolored wall to her left. It was… dubious at best. She didn't smell urine, but there was no guarantee that the spot wasn't bodily fluid of some kind.

"Hang on for just a few minutes more. You don't want to sit right here, I promise."

The girl exhaled again, her thin shoulders heaving with it. Kate readied herself for an argument, but instead Alexis nodded. "Okay."

Kate drew her in, keeping one hand on the stroller even as the other wrapped around the girl's shoulders. Her feet were starting to protest, too, but she wouldn't say anything. She could suck it up for a little while longer if it meant Alexis would find the patience, too.

"Mama! Dow'!"

And there was Anna. She had her brother to play with, along with half a dozen toys, but of course she was fed up with being confined to the stroller.

"No baby, I can't let you get down. You need to stay in your seat for now," she murmured, easing the stroller forward and back in an attempt to soothe the savage beast. If she got going, it was only a matter of time before Eli started as well.

The woman in front of them offered her a baleful look, which made Kate narrow her eyes in return. Yes, she'd brought her kids. Yes, they were tired and bored. No, they weren't hurting anyone.

"Mama, _dow'_!" Anna insisted from beneath the canopy. Kate heard her grunt and squirm; she braced herself for tears.

"Come on, squeaker, don't get upset," she cooed, already feeling the headache build behind her eyes. "You'll make your brother cry too. You guys don't want to make each other cry, do you?"

Her daughter wailed.

Unwinding from Alexis and ignoring the judgmental mumbling from the people around them, Kate moved to the front of the stroller. She would just pretend that she hadn't made a point to brush her blazer aside and flash her badge before kneeling.

Eli looked disgruntled, but was at least holding it together. Anna, on the other hand, already had huge tears streaming down her face.

"What is all this about, baby?" Kate cooed, swiping at her cheek. "You like your stroller."

She didn't, but maybe if they repeated it to her enough, she would. So far it hadn't worked, but there was always a shot.

Anna reached for her, straining against the confines of the seat. "Mama!"

"Okay, okay. Come here." She unhooked her quickly, lifting the girl out and onto her hip. "Oh my goodness, so much upset over a few minutes in line."

Forty, but who was counting?

"I screwed up," she confessed into her daughter's hair. "This isn't any fun so far, I know." She bounced the girl, kissing her forehead. "This one's on me, I'm sorry."

Eli's fingers gripped her hand and Kate diverted her attention to him.

"Hi sweet boy. You're bored, too, I know. I know all three of you are bored, but it'll be worth it," she promised, crooking her finger at Alexis.

The girl scooted closer, looking hopeful for a reprieve from the boredom.

"Wanna get in the stroller with your brother?" It wasn't much, but at least it was a place for her to sit. Maybe that would help.

Her eyes lit up. "Really? I won't break it?"

Kate laughed, shaking her head. "Not unless you start bouncing like a crazy woman or try to crash it into the wall."

She giggles, already slipping her backpack off her shoulders. " _Yes_ , I can read now!"

Eli looked on in confusion as his big sister climbed in behind him, but giggled as soon as she stole a kiss from his cheek.

"Wanna read with me?"

Eli settled in as Alexis opened her book and started to read. Satisfied that they were taken care of, Kate turned back to find Anna looking around with damp eyes, three fingers shoved into her mouth.

Great, she must be getting another tooth. That was fine; they could handle another round of teething.

At least the current crisis had been averted.

Nobody was crying, nobody was whining, and her head wasn't throbbing nearly as hard anymore.

Her arm was nearly numb by the time they made it into the bookstore. She considered ousting Alexis from the stroller, but since Anna seemed content to stay perched on her hip, she simply shifted the baby to the other side and did her best to massage feeling back into the appendage.

Grateful that everyone was content for the time being, Kate looked around the store. It wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination, but that made it even nicer. It felt cozy, warm, special.

And from what she could see, Rick was in his element. Even by the doors, she could hear the easy rumble of his voice as he greeted and spoke with every single person who stepped up to meet him. She couldn't see much, but the glimpses of his face she managed to get showed her how much he was enjoying himself.

He was born to do this. Everything about him screamed it.

She knew the moment Anna spotted Rick, because the baby went rigid, her hands shooting out for him. Kate hefted her, kissing her little fingers quickly.

"We have to wait our turn to see him," she murmured, hoping to avoid another tantrum. "When we get to the table, you can give him a big kiss, okay?"

"Dada 'iss!"

"That's right," she cooed, pressing her nose to Anna's temple. It wasn't that she was trying to keep their identities a secret, she just wasn't sure it was a good idea for everyone in the store to know who they were immediately. Call it protective, call it paranoid, whatever, but she was grateful they hadn't used names at Rick's party, either.

"'iss!" Anna listed forward, reaching out to Rick once more.

"Easy, easy," Kate hummed, leaning over to grab the sippy cups and a water bottle from the diaper bag. Eli grappled for his as soon as she offered it, popping it into his mouth and grinning around the spout. Alexis barely glanced up from the pages of her book, but thanked her for the drink anyway.

"Kisses later," she added. "Let's have some water while we wait."

Anna accepted her offering, but made sure to keep her eyes on Rick as she sipped.

With every step closer, the twins babbled a little louder for their father. She saw more eye rolls from the woman ahead of them, but didn't stop the babies. Let her assume Kate was delusional to allow her children to call Richard Castle their father.

"Are we _almost_ there?" Alexis whined, peeking out from under the canopy. Ah, she was bored again. She must have finished her book.

"Almost, honey. How was your book? Did you finish?"

"Yeah," she huffed, flopping back. "It was so good. Can I get the next one?"

Beckett nodded, catching Anna's sippy cup as soon as it slid from the baby's hands. "We'll run by the library on the way home."

"But there are books here," the redhead pointed out, looking around. "Can't we just buy it?"

"But you borrowed that one. And the one before it," Kate reminded. "Do you really want to only have the third in the series?"

That got her. Nobody wanted to have an incomplete series on their bookshelf. Kate bit down on an indulgent smile, nodding when the girl agreed to her terms.

She made a mental note to ask Rick if there was anything he wanted her to borrow on his behalf.

No, she wasn't going to show off when they got up to the table… much anyway.

A few minutes later, the crowd ahead of them had finally thinned enough to make Anna and Eli's jabbering more noticeable, and she watched recognition flood Rick's face.

Kate quirked a smile, shaking her head when he gestured for them to join him. At his unspoken question, she nodded toward the people around her. Having spent the last hour and a half with them, she knew skipping the rest of the line would probably result in a fight.

And she'd hate to have to kick someone's ass at her boyfriend's event.

Thankfully, Rick kept his cool as they approached, giving the woman in front of them his full attention instead of reaching past her and taking his squirming daughter from Kate's arms.

She hid a laugh in Anna's hair when the woman – Nora – gave them a pointed look after asking about some of his more _interesting_ fans.

Rick chuckled as well, looking up from the book he was signing. "I'll be honest with you; I've never had fans before, so all of this is new to me. But everyone has been great so far. I really had no idea the book would take off like this, so I'm incredibly lucky."

Kate watched as he scrawled his name before closing the woman's book. "Thank you for coming, Nora. It was very nice to meet you."

Nora looked like she might faint when he shook her hand, and Beckett waited until she'd managed to steady herself before easing the stroller forward.

It was their turn now.

"Well hi there," Rick greeted, offering her a playful, teasing smile. "What's your na –"

"Dada!" Anna pitched forward, practically launching herself across the table. Kate managed to catch the girl before she landed face down in a pile of her father's books, but it didn't stop her heart from beating triple time.

Rick jumped up, too, palming the baby's chest just in case she attempted another escape.

"Whoa, squeaker," he murmured, slipping his hands beneath Anna's armpits and lifting her out of Kate's arms.

Happy to relinquish her daughter to him, Kate scrubbed a hand through her hair. "Hey," she greeted belatedly, trying and failing to contain her smile at his delight. The wait had been long and the kids had been antsy, but being here made him so happy, it was worth it.

"Did you come to see me?" he asked, kissing Anna's cheek. "You did? Well, I'm so happy to see you. Are your brother and sister with you?"

"They are," Kate hummed, pulling the canopy back. Eli and Alexis looked up, grinning. "Someone didn't feel like riding in style."

Rick snorted, coming around the table in spite of his bookstore handler's recommendation. His lips landed on Eli's forehead, before he turned his attention to Alexis. The girl giggled.

"Hi Daddy."

"Hi pumpkin. Are you making Kate push you around?"

The girl giggled again. "Kate said it was okay. I wanted to read and it was so boring outside. You talk for _forever_."

He clucked his tongue. "I know I talk a lot. It's cause I'm happy to be here. And I'm happy to see you, too. So get out of there and come give me a hug."

Kate lifted Eli to give the girl room to squirm out of the stroller, swaying with him when he voiced appreciation for his freedom. The line had erupted into chatter at their display, and she was more than conscious of the onlookers they'd gained. She couldn't do anything about it now, though. She'd rather them observe their family here than try to follow them around or something crazy like that.

Alexis giggled, flinging her arms around her father. Rick's eyes closed, and Kate knew he was soaking up the affection for as long as he could. With his eyes shut, he looked tired, but she knew he would push through it.

"How was school?" he rumbled, rubbing Alexis's back.

"Fun! I got an A on my math test. And we're going to the library on the way home. I finished my book and Kate said s'better to check out the next one than buy it, 'cause nobody wants to have half a series."

Rick looked up, no doubt checking with her to make sure she was actually on board with that. She nodded, smiling down at them.

"I did say that. Want us to pick up anything for you?" she murmured, reaching out to squeeze his neck. The touch didn't go unnoticed by their spectators, but she did what she could to ignore them.

Finally, he released Alexis, getting to his feet once more.

"Oh, yeah. Can you get that book on wound care I had reserved? I got the notice that it's in again. I'll give you my card if you want."

Chuckling, she nodded. "Sure. I'll pick that one up for you."

"Thanks. Trade you quickly?" He held out an arm for Eli. Kate handed her son over, taking Anna back. The girl sighed in contentment, flopping on Kate's shoulder. After all that, five minutes of Daddy time and she was fine.

Eli babbled, pressing his face into Rick's neck. Sweet boy; he'd needed Daddy time, too.

Her boyfriend smiled, smoothing a hand over his son's back. "You know, we're almost done here. If you don't mind waiting for me, we could go to the library together?"

"You're free after this?" Making sure Alexis was happily paging through her book again, Kate stepped closer to him, deliberately lowering her voice.

His head bobbed, fingers splaying over her hip. "Yeah, this is the last thing for today. It shouldn't be more than another hour."

Given the line, she doubted that. She nodded anyway, listing into him, stealing an impulsive kiss from his lips.

The crowd behind them tittered, drawing a grin from him. "Did that on purpose," he teased, rubbing his nose against hers.

"Mmm, maybe. S'only fair. A girl deserves some extra privileges when she's up against your harem."

Rick laughed. "There a coffee shop a few doors down. It just opened, so it's probably not crazy yet. Looked comfortable. Meet you there?"

Coffee sounded nice, but somewhere for the kids to relax sounded even better. She nodded, pressing her hand to his chest. "Yeah. Meet you there."

"Perfect." He stole another kiss before turning to deposit Eli back in the stroller. Kate handed Anna over on his signal, watching him make their baby girl laugh before she could whine at the injustice of it all.

He dropped kisses on both of their heads, turning to Alexis to do the same to her. When he turned back to Kate, she found herself biting her lip.

"What?" He looked quizzical.

She shuffled to her bag, reaching in for her hardback copy of his book. "Can I have your autograph too?"

He laughed, giving her a kiss and a quick nod before taking her book and ducking behind the table once more. She lowered her eyes, giving him privacy to write whatever he wanted, turning instead to tap Alexis's cheek.

The girl giggled, swinging one of Eli's hands. Kate smiled.

"Daddy wants to come to the library with us, so we're going to get some hot chocolate and work on your homework until he's done. How does that sound?"

"But you said –" Alexis looked betrayed. "I want to go to the library first!"

"Ah, but the more homework you get done before the library, the less you'll have to do before you can read," Rick murmured without looking up from his masterpiece.

"But Daddy," the girl whined, turning blazing blue eyes on her father.

"Hey, you know better than to give either of us a hard time for this," he rebuked, firm yet still gentle enough not to be mean. "I want the five of us to go together."

The girl slumped, head knocking against Beckett's side. "Okay. Sorry, Daddy. Sorry, Kate."

Kate brushed her hair. "You're forgiven. I know how hard it is to wait to get a new book."

Alexis nodded against her jacket. "It's so hard. I just want to read it all now."

Ah, there was some of her grandmother's melodrama. Kate pursed her lips to avoid laughing, instead shifting her focus back to the man in front of her. They'd already taken up far too much of his time, but she couldn't bring herself to feel badly about that.

She was a fan, yes, but they were also his family.

Rick's eyebrows wiggled as he passed her book to her. His fingers caught hers, lifting her hand to his mouth.

"Thanks," she breathed, holding the book to her chest, protecting whatever he'd written for her. Even if the words were silly or obnoxious, he'd written them for her.

"See you in a little bit," he promised. "See you soon, pumpkin."

Alexis waved, pulling away from Kate's side. "Bye Daddy."

Rick smiled, waving to the twins, too. "Now I have to break it to everyone else that they don't get this treatment."

Laughing, Kate shook off the tendrils of glee and stepped back to the stroller. "Good luck with that."

With that, she led Alexis away from the rumbling crowd.

* * *

 _A/N: Once again, thank you to everyone for the love and support you've given me and this story. I cannot even describe what your words have meant to me._


	15. Chapter 15

_As always, thank you all for reading, for your wonderful comments, and for generally being fantastic. I can't begin to describe how much they mean to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

* * *

"Darling, as always it was a pleasure. Dinner was delicious."

Rick ducked his head at the praise. It had been a good evening; things had finally started calming down with the book press, making it possible for them to invite Kate's father and his mother over for a belated birthday celebration. He'd hated missing Kate's birthday because of work, but he thought the easy dinner at home might have made up for it.

"Thank you, Mother. It was a pleasure having you both," he added, looking to Jim.

The older man smiled, squeezing Kate's shoulders before holding out a hand to him.

"Thank you for the invitation, Rick. I had fun. And I still can't believe Alexis built that entire model herself."

He chuckled. "She did. And Kate will tell you, she refused anything resembling help."

His girlfriend's hand skimmed his back once as she hummed in agreement. "We had to remind her to come eat a few times."

"She's stubborn. Like her gram," Rick added, leaning away from his mother's swat.

"I prefer the term persistent, Richard," Martha chided, reaching out to squeeze Kate's arms. Both women smiled, sharing a few quiet words before Kate backed up once more.

Affection flooded his chest; he gave his mother a hard time, but he loved the way she'd embraced Kate and their unconventional little family. She'd already stopped to kiss the kids goodbye almost a dozen times.

"Of course you do." He grinned, kissing his mother's cheek. "See you soon, Mother."

"Later, kiddo. Good seeing you, Jim. And happy birthday again, Kate."

Kate's cheek landed against his shoulder. "Thank you, Martha. And thank you for the scarf; it's gorgeous."

His mother preened for a moment, waving to the three of them once more before slipping into the hallway.

Jim offered them a smile. "Do you need any help getting the twins home, Katie?"

Rick looked over his shoulder. They'd moved the cribs into his bedroom to free up the dining room to eat dinner, and had opted to settle the kids on a plush blanket in the playpen when they passed out. As far as he knew, Kate was planning to stay the night with him and Alexis and they would just put the twins in their cribs once everything was tidied up, but they hadn't really talked about that.

They never really talked about it, actually. Most of the time it just seemed like a given that they would stay where the kids fell asleep. There were still some nights they spent apart, some nights where Alexis just wanted her own bed instead of having to share a room with her siblings, but those nights came less and less frequently as time went on.

"Oh, no. We're okay, Dad. We're going to clean up the table and bring the cribs back in. Thank you, though." She punctuated her refusal with a smile, squeezing her father's arm.

Jim nodded, looking at ease with her answer. "In that case, I'll get out of your hair. Thank you again for dinner."

"Any time, Jim. Any time."

Kate echoed the sentiment, stepping forward to kiss her father's cheek. "We'll see you soon. Think about the holidays, okay?"

They hadn't talked much about Thanksgiving or Christmas, but Kate had already told him that she would be asking Jim not to go to his cabin the whole time this year. She was hoping he would agree to spend some of the time with them. Frankly, Rick was hoping the same. He loved Christmas, and though he understood that Jim and Kate both had their own way of dealing with the holiday, he wanted his kids to have every single loved one here with them if possible. He hadn't been privy to the conversation, but the fact that Kate was reminding her father about it meant it had to have gone at least reasonably well, right?

"I will, Katie. I will. Make your plans first and tell me what you're doing; that'll help me decide how long to stay in the city."

Kate relaxed a fraction, allowing the corners of her lips to turn upward. "We can do that."

He nodded again, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "But honey, don't worry so much about Christmas yet – it's barely Thanksgiving."

"Just a couple more days," Rick supplied, lifting a shoulder when two pairs of amused Beckett eyes turned to him. "I like turkey. I kind of want to try to deep fry it this year."

Kate exhaled. "And I kind of want you to have a face at the end of the day. I don't think they allow toddlers or leftovers in the burn unit."

Jim chuckled, releasing his daughter. "I'll let the two of you discuss that. Good night."

"Night," they echoed, watching the door slip shut behind Kate's father.

Kate reached out, locking the door with deft fingers before turning back to him. He tried not to shiver under the slow drag of her gaze, stepping closer under the direction of her crooked finger.

"Thank you," she murmured, hands landing on his hips as she met him halfway. "For my birthday dinner. That was really sweet."

Slipping his fingers under her blouse, Rick brushed soft skin at the small of her back. "You're welcome. I'm still sorry I missed your actual birthday."

Her lips brushed his jaw. "You didn't, though. I seem to recall a more than enjoyable middle of the night celebration that was _not_ suitable for young or parental eyes."

He chuckled, even as heat thrummed through his body. "Mmm, you were a little wobbly at work, weren't you?"

Kate nipped at his chin, rocking into him just enough to fan the embers of awareness in his belly. "And you had a shit-eating grin all day, too."

"Couldn't help myself."

"Mmm." She pulled away, trailing her fingers along his waistband. "Come help me clean up and then we can go work on putting another shit-eating grin on your face."

"You always present me with the most enticing offers."

His girlfriend grinned over her shoulder, sashaying back to the dining nook to grab the rest of the dinner dishes.

"Once this is clear, bring the cribs back in?" she murmured, bumping a kiss on his arm as she stepped around him.

"I will."

Kate glanced into the living room. "I hate that we might wake them up, but we can't leave them there. The heat works, but it doesn't work that well."

"Mmm, true," he agreed, grabbing the platter and the remaining plates. "Plus if we let them sleep there all night, they'd be up and protesting baby jail at dawn."

Kate laughed. "Poor babies, wrongfully imprisoned with their favorite toys, a nap mat, and a blanket thicker than the one I had in the hospital the day I gave birth to them."

"Life's tough on the inside, Kate. We can't even imagine how tough it is."

Joy spilled from his girlfriend's lips once more, warming him once more. Rick sent an impish grin her way. "Why don't I bring the cribs in now, tackle the dishes, and then move them. For our own peace of mind."

His girlfriend nodded, taking everything from his hands and accepting a quick kiss. "Thanks. I got these. And oh, check them for prison tats."

He snorted. "Oh yeah, don't wanna explain those to their teachers at daycare."

Joining her at the sink, he tried to nudge her out of the way, claiming she shouldn't have to clean up her own birthday dinner, but she shook her head, handing him a towel and ordering him to dry and put things away. Laughing, he stole a kiss from her before turning to his task.

Soon they were down to the last few dishes, and with his hands free, he couldn't help but turn to watch her. She was gorgeous. She was always gorgeous – in sweats, in jeans, makeup or no makeup – but watching her rinse soapsuds off a Disney Princess plate, she took his break away.

Kate swiped a damp hand across her forehead, pushing a strand of hair back before tilting her head in his direction. The offending piece fell back into her eyes anyway, and her next few attempts to blow the hair away made him grin.

"What?" she asked, giving him a grateful smile when he reached out and moved the strand behind her ear, "What's that look for?"

His fingers lingered, brushing her temple as he gathered his thoughts. Her eyes slipped shut at the contact, turning her cheek into his hand.

"Nothin'. Just happy to be here."

"You are, hmm?" She pressed a kiss to the center of his palm. He nodded, giving her verbal confirmation a second later.

"I am."

"Me too," she agreed, dropping her head against his collar and nuzzling her nose into the space between his neck and shoulder. Rick fought the urge to chuckle; like mother, like babies. The twins snuggled him this way, too.

Winding his arms around her, he dusted a kiss to her forehead.

"Hey," he started after a moment, feeling the tug of a question at the edge of his mind. "Was your dad upset?"

"About what?" she asked, banding her arms around his waist. He squeezed her in return.

"About the, uh, sleeping arrangements?"

"For us?" Kate teased, lifting her eyes. "I think between the two kids we have together, and our trip to the Hamptons, he's well aware that you and I sleep in the same bed." Her eyebrows wiggled as he sputtered. It had _not_ been his fault that her dad hadn't been able to sleep and had passed the patio just as their stargazing had become less about watching the stars and more about seeing them personally. Jim hadn't _seen_ anything, but the next day he had asked how late they'd been outside. The tips of Rick's ears still felt a little bit pink from the incident.

"That is not what I meant," he grumbled, taking a kiss from her smiling mouth anyway.

Kate's tongue slid along his lip. "What did you mean then, baby?"

"Don't patronize me." His stern face fell away at her eye roll. "The kids. I meant about the twins and the cribs in the dining room and everything."

Her fingers plucked at the edge of his shirt. "Because he asked if I wanted help taking them back to my place?"

"Yeah."

She shook her head, swaying with him. "Of course not."

"You sure?" he asked, thumbing a circle on her shoulder blade.

"I'm sure," she hummed, lifting onto her toes to steal a kiss from his mouth. "That wasn't meant to be a pointed comment, I promise. He doesn't care about where we stay, as long as we have somewhere warm and safe to sleep. I'd say we're more than that here."

Rick's fingers fumbled at her shoulder, a renewed want growing in his belly. He'd been carefully not mentioning anything until things settled down, but the words had been on his lips too many times over the last few months for him to ignore them any longer.

"When's your lease up?"

Kate's fingers tightened against his back. "Are you – don't ask me this because you're worried about my father, Rick. My dad isn't us. And I'm happy as long as you're happy – we don't have to push anythi –"

"I almost asked the night you gave me the paternity form, Kate. And again the day their new birth certificates came in the mail."

Her eyes flared wider, searching his for signs that he was bullshitting her. When she found none, she softened, leaning into him a little more. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. We can wait until your lease is up, or until my lease is up, whichever happens first, but let's move in together. We can find a bigger place, somewhere for all of us."

"Three bedrooms," she murmured, coasting her hands up his sides.

"Or four," he offered, skimming a kiss across her jaw. "So nobody has to share."

Kate's head lulled to the side. "We can't afford four. Even splitting the rent, I doubt we can do four right now."

He had to concede that point. "Okay, three for now. Unless the book does exceptionally well. Don't want to be too strapped to spoil them for Christmas next year. I plan to spoil the crap out of them this year anyway."

His heart fluttered at the shy smile she bestowed upon him.

"Yeah," she agreed, palming the back of his head. "When they're older and they're driving each other crazy, and it's either separate bedrooms or we give all three of them to the circus."

Rick laughed, pulling her closer. "So that's…"

"A yes," she finished for him, turning her face into his cheek. Even if he hadn't felt the curve of her mouth against his skin, he would've known how happy she was; she practically vibrated with it. "If you're sure. If you think _we_ won't kill each other if we don't have our own space to retreat to."

"We can look for a place with an office, or somewhere nice for you to sit and relax; that'll give us separate spaces just in the same home."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he assured, ignoring her squeal as he lifted her off her feet. "You know all my annoying habits by now, and I know yours."

Kate huffed, grazing her teeth over his earlobe. He swallowed hard, lowering her back to the floor. "They're adorable annoying habits, honey, I promise. Endearing."

"Shut up," she groaned, nuzzling his ear. "Just… we're going to do this."

"We're going to do this." He grinned, cupping the back of her neck to pull her mouth to his. "And it's going to be great."

"That's what you always say," she teased between kisses, rocking into him with an intensity that knocked him back.

"And I think we've been pretty great so far, don't you? Dare I say extraordinary?"

She hummed. "Extraordinary, huh?"

"Extraordinary, remarkable, astounding, tremendous, incredible, unbelieva-mmph."

Her lips covered his, stealing the rest of his words. He groaned into her mouth, palming her back, steadying them both as their hips bumped once again.

They were moving in together; the next place they lived would be theirs. Not just hers, not just his, but _theirs_.

"I love you," she breathed, pitching into him. His eyes flew open, only to find her watching his face.

"Kate," his breath caught on her name, fingers skittering over her sides. Her face split open at his fumbling, her smile bright under the fluorescent kitchen lights.

"I love you," she repeated, cupping his face in her hands. Her thumbs slipped across his cheeks, caressing, worshiping, calming the ragged race of his heart. "I know it's fast, maybe. Is it fast, considering we just said we're moving in together? But… I just love you."

"I love you, too," he croaked, finding his voice, his courage. "I love you, too."

She puffed a laugh, sinking into his chest in relief. "Yeah?"

"You doubted that?"

"No, no, never. Just hearing it is…"

His mouth covered hers, stealing whatever descriptor she might've used with a slow kiss. She opened to him, groaning as his tongue slicked past her lips, drawing a moan from him in return.

Kate's fingers fluttered against his face, dropping to grip his shirt collar.

"Overwhelming?" he offered finally, sliding a hand up her back. His girlfriend nodded, releasing a shaky exhale against his lips.

"Yeah."

Resting his forehead on hers, he hummed. "Come on, let's move the twins to their cribs and go to bed. See about making it a little less overwhelming."

She kissed him again, tugging on his lip. "Let's do it."

* * *

He woke the next morning to the sound of soft giggles from beyond his bedroom door. Beside him, Kate stirred, but didn't wake, and his arm tightened around her waist. He would get up and check on the twins in a few minutes; for now, he wanted to steal a few more minutes in bed.

The next thing he knew, the door was creaking open and the thud of little feet interrupted the silence. How had they –?

Ah, a third set of footsteps joined the first two. Alexis. It had to be Alexis.

Rick clamped his eyes shut, pretending to be deep in slumber. Really he wanted to know what mischief they'd get up to if they thought he and Kate were both still asleep.

"Exsis! Up!"

That was Anna.

Alexis agreed softly, grunting a little bit as she lifted her sister onto the bed. The mattress dipped again when she helped Eli up, bouncing a third time as she crawled onto the comforter, too.

"Daddy, Kate, are you awake?"

Feeling Kate's sharp intake of breath against his bicep, Rick did his best to make his face blank. Good, she was awake, too. And he'd have to remember to admit she'd been right when she suggested tugging clothes on after their final round last night. She hadn't known they would have visitors, but it was a good call all things considered.

He waited on baited breath, wondering what their game plan was. A moment later, little hands slapped at his belly as sharp knees dug into places they really, really didn't need to be.

"Oof," he grunted, eyes flying open to find Anna watching him, her cute little nose scrunched in greeting. Eli and Alexis giggled behind her, still inching up the bed.

"Dada, hi."

"Hi, baby. Scoot up a little bit. Daddy likes when that part of his body's functional. Mommy does, too."

Kate huffed, pinching the webbing between his index finger and thumb before giving up the ruse and pushing herself upright.

"Morning, guys," she greeted around a yawn, groaning as Alexis and Eli scrambled to her, crawling up her legs. "How did…"

Alexis grinned, squirming between the adults. "I was _gonna_ watch cartoons before everybody woke up, but they were climbing out, so I helped them. I didn't want them to fall. And then we wanted to see you."

Shifting Anna, Rick wrapped an arm around his eldest daughter. "You did great, pumpkin. You're a good big sister."

Alexis beamed, pressing her face into his chest. "Thanks Daddy."

"And as for you two troublemakers," he teased, tickling Anna's belly, delighting in her cackle. "We're going to have to make sure you can't climb out of your cribs. You don't want to crack your heads open. Scars are cool and all, but you don't want to crack your heads open."

"Daddy's right." Kate yawned again, lifting Eli over her head to blow on his belly. The boy squealed, calling his mother's name. "We could try lowering their mattresses. I think that's what Dad said he and my mom had to do when I started climbing."

"Did it help?" Alexis hadn't been a climber. She'd been more than content to let him come get her each morning, until the day his mother had presented them with a toddler bed as a gift for her granddaughter.

"For a few months, then they just moved me to a regular bed."

He smiled. "That's what I did for Alexis, the toddler bed. Well, Mother did it, to be honest. But Alexis never climbed, so that part is new. I'll look up how to lower the mattresses."

He was already reaching for his phone, jostling both Anna and Alexis with the effort.

"Later, okay?" Kate smiled, lowering Eli to lean back against her knees before giving Rick's shoulder a gentle bump. "Let's just relax right now."

Rick hummed, settling back against his pillows. "Kay. Later it is."

"Good." She exhaled. "Are you guys almost ready for regular beds?" she asked, turning her focus back to the kids. "Mommy's not ready for you to be in a regular bed."

Eli giggled, leaning into her noisy smooches. Little ham. All three of the kids were little hams.

"Maybe we'll be able to hold them off for a few more months," Rick murmured, dropping a kiss to Anna's hair. "Then we'll have more space."

Alexis looked up, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What's happening in a few months?"

Trust his smart little girl to notice that. Kate lifted bright eyes to his, giving him carte blanche to tell her what they'd decided last night.

"Well, Kate and I were talking about it, and we thought that it'd be a good idea to find somewhere new to live in a few months. That way all five of us can live in one apartment instead of going back and forth between two. What do you think?"

He tilted his head, watching his daughter process the proposal.

"But we just moved here, kinda. Where would we go?"

Rick released Anna, wrapping both arms around his eldest as the baby crawled across the mattress to her mother.

"Well, we have to look at our options. If we like this building, we can find out if there's a bigger apartment we can move into. If we find somewhere we like better than here, we can move there." He looked to Kate for confirmation. His girlfriend nodded, blowing a raspberry in the crook of Anna's neck.

"Right. We can look wherever we want."

Alexis nodded. "Would I have my own room? 'Cause 'cause I know I said the twins could share mine, but they cry a _lot_ more than I thought babies did."

Kate jumped in, quick to assure the girl. "Of course you would. We'll make sure you have your own room, even if the twins share."

Alexis considered her words, tilting her head. "Okay. Will I have to go to a different school? I don't want to go to a different school. I like my school. And, and, and I don't wanna leave Paige. She's my bestest friend."

He shook his head. "No, honey. You'll go to your school. No matter where we live, you'll go to your school." He and his mother pay enough for Marlowe Prep; she'll go even if they're living on Mars.

She relaxed at that, looking between him and Kate. "Kay. You've got a deal."

Rick grinned, squishing her against his chest. "We do?"

His daughter giggled, nodding again. "Uh huh. But not before Christmas. Santa's so busy; he needs advanced notice if we're moving again. I do _not_ want him to forget where I am."

Smothering a chuckle, he gave a sage nod. "You're exactly right, pumpkin. We'll make sure he knows to find us here, and when we move again, we'll send him our new address."

"Plus, he knows where Anna and Eli are, and he knows you're with them, right?" Alexis nodded. "So I think he knows where to find you this time, too," Kate added, rubbing their son's cheek.

"Kay Daddy. Kay, Kate," his daughter agreed, satisfied with their answers. "Even though this means we'll have to pack _everything_ again."

He felt a little bit bad that they would have to dismantle her room once more, especially since it seemed like she'd finally managed to get everything exactly the way she wanted it, but bringing the five of them under one roof would be the best thing they could do. He was confident.

Kate smiled, leaning into them. "Hey, Alexis, will you help me decorate when we move?"

Her head bobbed against his chest. "Uh huh. I have great taste, Kate. My mom said so last time we went shopping. Remember all the awesome stuff I got during the summer?"

His girlfriend smiled, brushing her fingers through the girl's hair. "I remember, honey. You do. You have great taste. I can't wait to pick things out with you."

Alexis beamed, pushing herself up. "Really?"

"Really," Kate assured, dropping her forehead against Alexis's. "Plus, we have to make sure Daddy doesn't deck the place out entirely in Batman stuff."

"Hey," Rick interrupted, feeling his heart lift at their conspiratorial giggles. Let them tease. Let them bond over his growing action figure collection. "Not cool, you two."

Both heads lifted, blue and hazel eyes regarding him with barely contained amusement.

"Way cool, Daddy."

"I'll have you know that I also have excellent taste."

Kate laughed, breaking away to tug Anna back from the edge of the bed. "You do, but I'm picking Alexis to help me decorate our living room."

 _Our living room_.

His chest expanded, joy making itself known once more. It would be all of theirs. Kate was making sure of that.

She tilted her head, reaching out to cup his cheek. He nuzzled into her palm, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to her wrist.

"That sounds perfect."

"Perfect," Kate agreed, grinning when Alexis echoed her. "And you know what else would be perfect?"

"Hmm?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. He had a feeling he knew exactly where this was going, and 'perfect' probably wasn't the word he'd use to describe it.

"If you change the twins while I make some coffee and breakfast. And then we can eat in bed before we go outside and see if the weatherman lied or not about it snowing overnight."

Damn. He should've thought to volunteer to make food and let her have diaper duty. But for her, he would grab diapers and handle their squirmy little ones. Because he loved her, and he loved the way she'd made Alexis smile at the mention of potential snow.

"I suppose I can do that."

His girlfriend smirked, lifting into him for a kiss that left him breathless and ready to agree to damn near anything she asked.

"Thanks," she breathed, pulling away and depositing the twins at his side. "I'll be back in a few."

"Kay," he agreed, watching her smooth his shirt down over her thighs and reach for a pair of leggings to help brave the lingering chill in the living room. He loved her like that; sleep rumpled and so sexy without even meaning to be. Just her.

"Hey Kate," he called, sitting up and hefting a baby under each arm. The twins cackled, making valiant attempts to squirm out of his grip. His girlfriend paused in the doorway, smoothing her wild hair down and away from her face. One eyebrow lifted in expectation, but she said nothing, which only made his smile widen. Yeah, she knew what was coming. "I love you."

She ducked her head, failing to hide her happiness from him. He did the same, watching Alexis scoot across the bedroom to retrieve the changing pad, wipes, and diapers for him. When he looked up once more, Kate was beaming.

"Mmm, I know," she said, turning on her heel and leaving the room.

Alexis looked up, eyes wide. "Dad! She just Han Solo'd you!"

Kate's laugh carried through the apartment. Shit, he loved her a little bit more, just for that.

"That she did, Pumpkin. That she did."

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you all!_


	16. Chapter 16

_My apologies for the wait, everyone. I hope you'll accept this behemoth of a chapter to make up for it! Happy Castle Monday!_

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

She was a sucker.

Try as she might to deny it, Kate Beckett was a true sucker. There was no other way to explain how she had fallen victim to Rick and Alexis's adorable, pleading eyes, and switched shifts with Ryan so she could be here.

How were they not losing their minds?

Well, the kids she understood. The babies were, well, babies. The lights and the sparkles had fascinated them for about fifteen minutes before they had fallen asleep. Alexis was eight and saw the world as an endless adventure. Rick was a different story; he was a grown up (mostly), and he still didn't seem the least bit bothered by the fact that they had been waiting for the last hour in the middle of chaos.

After the first forty-five minutes, Kate couldn't say the same for herself.

In any case, she would soldier through because the other day, he had asked to turn Alexis's annual picture with Santa into a family one. They both knew the twins wouldn't remember it, but she wasn't going to deny him or Alexis the chance to make a new memory with them.

"I'm going duck out to get some coffee," she murmured at the conclusion of yet another cheerful rendition of _Sleigh Ride_ \- the third since they had been there, no less. "Bring you anything?"

If Rick was surprised by her announcement, he didn't show it. Instead, his arm slid around her waist, dragging her in for a quick peck on the mouth. She hummed in appreciation; he tasted like candy cane.

Had he been sneaking candy this whole time? Was _that_ why he was so cheerful? Why the hell wasn't he sharing?

"Peppermint mocha?"

Her lips quirked. More peppermint, huh? "Sure. Hot chocolate for you, Alexis?"

"Uh huh, please? But you're not going to miss seeing Santa, are you?" she asked, turning worried baby blues on Kate. The girl had been laser-focused on Santa since they arrived at the top floor of the showroom, sparing the rest of them only the briefest of glances here and there.

Beckett studied the mass of people ahead of them. Unless Santa started seeing kids at warp speed, she was confident she would make it to the coffee shop and back with plenty of time to spare.

"Nope. I'll be back long before then. But if something does change, have Daddy text me and I'll run right over. Promise."

That seemed to settle the girl. "Can I have extra chocolate sprinkles?"

Kate nodded, brushing a hand over her head. "Extra chocolate sprinkles. Got it."

She knew better than to ask Rick if he wanted extra sprinkles; of course he did.

"Kay, I'll be back," she hummed stealing another kiss from her boyfriend before skirting under the rope line and scurrying toward the escalator.

Since they'd been inside, a rather substantial crowd had gathered in hopes of being able to see Santa before the end of the day, the overflow spilling out onto the sidewalk of the ground level. Kate maneuvered around a gaggle of excited three year olds, offering their harried mother a sympathetic smile, and made her escape to the coffee shop around the corner.

Once there, she took a moment to inhale, filling her lungs with the scent of freshly ground spiced coffee. Christmas coffee.

Her breath stuttered, the relief short-lived.

In some ways, last year had been easier. The twins had been little and oblivious to the muted nature of their celebration, but that wouldn't fly with Rick and Alexis in their lives this year. This year Christmas needed to be more.

Every day she worked a little bit harder to recapture the magic the holiday once held. Some days it worked, while others were a continuous fight. On Thursday, she had decorated cookies with the kids (though for the twins it was more like decorating themselves while the cookies remained bare in front of them), and that had been wonderful. Then the next day, her mother's favorite Christmas carol had come on the radio and her absence had resonated deeply, she hadn't been able to put the car in drive until the song had finished.

Her progress might be measured in baby steps for the moment, but she _was_ trying; she refused to spend every holiday of the twins' childhood paralyzed by her anguish.

Surviving Santa was one of those steps.

She could do it. She was a cop, after all; she had been through much, much worse. Another hour or so in a Christmas village was nothing. Especially if she had coffee.

For all his cheer, Rick seemed more than a little grateful for the beverage she presented him, leaning in to bump his forehead against hers. On the other hand, maybe he had just missed having another grown up to talk to.

"I think one of Santa's elves was hitting on me," he murmured. "There was a significant wink."

"Oh yeah?" she hummed, swiping her palm up his back and taking an appreciative drag of her coffee. "Which one?"

She gave the room a lazy perusal, trying to decide for herself who Rick's admirer might be. Not the one up at the front with Santa. She was too far away to see them, even if Rick did stand out in the crowd. It wasn't the one handing out candy canes as every satisfied (or unsatisfied) customer left the area, either; she wasn't even facing the line. So that left…

"Aww, babe. She likes you? That's so cute."

Rick sputtered. "Kate! She's older than my _mother_."

"Oh, but if it's love, it's love. Don't let me stand in the way of that," she teased, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"You're funny," he drawled, slipping a hand into the back pocket of her jeans. "You should be a cop by day, comedian by night."

"Oh, you think so? I never knew it was my calling, really. That's so sweet of you to say." Lifting onto her toes, she pressed her smile to his cheek, sharing her newfound playfulness with him. "Thanks, Rick."

Alexis sighed against the lid of her hot chocolate, shaking her head. "So much kissing."

Well that wasn't mortifying at all, being reprimanded by the eight year old for being too affectionate.

Kate felt herself groan as she pulled away. What had this man done to her? She had _never_ been this way before.

"You're right, daughter; there is a lot of kissing right now. In fact, I think it's your turn, c'mere."

Before she could protest, Rick scooped Alexis up and peppered her face with obnoxious, wet kisses. Dodging flailing limbs, Beckett made a grab for the girl's cup, plucking it out of her hand. The last thing they needed was for the drink to spill everywhere before seeing Santa.

"Daddy, this is _so_ not fair," Alexis whined around another peal of laughter. "I didn't want _more_ kissing, I wanted less!"

"Less kissing?" Rick asked, feigning dismay. "Why would there be _less_ kissing? I have so many kisses to give."

Kate shook her head. Her boyfriend was a dork. Adorable, too, but definitely a dork.

"In fact," he continued, flipping his squirming child upside down, "I think I need a few more before I can even think about releasing you back into the wild, baby bird."

She had to hide her smile behind her hand. Rick and Alexis were causing a bit of a scene, but the little girl's laughter curled around her heart, making it impossible for her to put an end to their antics. The onlookers would just have to deal for a little while.

Finally, Rick set Alexis back on her feet, steadying her as the blood rushed to the rest of her body once more.

"Whoa, careful, pumpkin," he said, lifting his hands only when she seemed stable enough to stand on her own.

Alexis exhaled, pushing an errant strand of hair away from her face. Time - and gravity, thanks to her father - was taking its toll on her braid.

"Thanks, Daddy," she panted, taking the hot chocolate from Beckett's hands. "Thanks for holding it for me, Kate."

"You're welcome. I stole a few sips, though, and it was yummy," she teased, tickling the girl's neck. Alexis grinned, bumping her head against her bicep.

"You mooched me!"

Kate felt her lips lift even higher. "That's right, I did. Maybe that was the plan all along. Kisses for Daddy, mooching for me."

Alexis giggled leaning into her, vibrating with an energy only a child could possess. Kate felt her stiffen a moment later. "Wait, is Santa going to bring you coal for mooching?"

Beside them, Rick snorted, but declined to comment. Instead, he made a show of leaning over to check on the twins, fussing with their blankets and wiping the drool from their chins.

"No, honey," Kate murmured, rubbing the girl's arm. "Santa's not going to bring me coal for mooching. He knows I wasn't being mean, just silly. Now, if I start mooching _all_ the time, and that upsets you, then Santa will bring me coal. But I wouldn't do it if it bothered you."

Alexis hummed, no doubt considering her words. "Okay, Kate. I'll make sure he knows it didn't bother me."

Grinning, Kate nodded. "Kay. I appreciate that. What else are you going to talk to him about?"

"Umm, I'm going to tell him we moved, just in case he didn't get my letter."

Kate's stomach flipped. Alexis was a smart girl; she knew not to give her information to strangers, but Santa was a different story. "Uh huh, that sounds good. But, hey, you know you don't need to give Santa your address, right?"

The redhead's brow furrowed. "But what if he doesn't have it? What if my letter got lost?"

Hesitating, Kate licked her lips. When she was Alexis's age, she hadn't believed in Santa anymore, not really, but she wouldn't be the reason the little girl lost her sense of magic. She had seen enough Christmas movies and read enough Christmas books to be able to give her an answer without telling her the man they were about to see wasn't _Santa_.

"He has it," she said, her voice light, almost artificial to her own ears. "Santa's magic, remember? That means your address is already in his magic book, along with his nice and naughty lists. So all you have to do is tell him to make sure he checks it before he leaves to deliver the presents. Right, Daddy?"

"Right," Rick agreed, curling his fingers in her belt loop and pulling both of them closer. She let herself sag against him a bit, grateful he had understood the lesson behind her words. "Santa knows all this stuff already, we promise."

Alexis dropped her head back, studying them both for a moment. "Kay. If you're _sure_."

"We're sure, pumpkin," Rick assured, swiping his thumb over his daughter's cheek. "Instead of worrying about that, why don't you tell Santa which present from your list you want the most? That way, if Santa's elves get a little bit busy, they'll know to make you that first, and tackle the other stuff after that."

Kate blinked. What a brilliant way to find out what a kid wanted most. She needed to remember that trick.

Rick's lips brushed her cheek before moving to the curve of her ear. "It's gotten me through the last four Christmases," he murmured, somehow reading the awe on her face. "Plus the pictures are cute."

"Mmm," she agreed, catching his nose with her lips. "That's genius. Just no home addresses. Ever. Please?"

His fingers tightened on her hip as the gravity in her plea hit home. "Of course. Of course."

"Thank you." She took a long pull from her coffee, letting the familiar vanilla wash away the acrid reminder of the case.

"Anything," he confirmed, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Will you tell me about it later?"

She would, if that was what he wanted, but she had to warn him anyway. "It was bad, Rick. Heartbreaking. I don't know if you'll want to hear about it, especially not this close to the holiday."

He nodded anyway, sweeping his palm over her side. "I can handle it. You've read the scenes in my books."

She had, but reading - or writing - a fictional account of murder was worlds away from walking into a scene and witnessing the aftermath of the crime.

"After dinner. Once everyone else is in bed."

"Good plan," he agreed, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And then after that I have a few other plans for you."

Her cheeks lifted, and she let him have the lazy innuendo. He knew she needed him to lighten the mood.

They could think about three year old murder cases later; right now, they were with their kids in a beautiful room, hearing _Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree_ for the fourth time in two hours.

Okay, so it wasn't perfect. But it was good.

What _wasn't_ good was the way the twins reacted to the man in the red suit. Anna took one look at jolly old Saint Nick and released a shriek so impressive, it had heads turning. Rick lifted her out of the stroller, easing her against his chest, allowing her to cling to his shirt as if she was in danger of being ripped away forever.

Not to be outdone, or outmatched, Eli followed suit, pressing his face into Kate's shoulder, releasing his pitiful wail against her sweater.

"I, ah," she stumbled, cupping her son's head, hoping to soothe him before they made more of a spectacle than they already were. "Shh, baby, you're fine. You're fine."

Rick turned wide eyes to her. His ears had already started darkening to an interesting shade of pink, but he kept his cool, bouncing Anna and cooing nonsense into her hair.

"Why don't you take your turn first, pumpkin?" he managed, nudging Alexis closer. "You can show the twins there's nothing scary here. This is new for them."

Kate exhaled as the girl nodded and stepped up to Santa. At least Alexis would get her time with the fat man, even if the twins stayed on the sidelines.

"Look, baby," she murmured, thumbing Eli's ear. "See what your big sister's doing? She's sitting with Santa."

Eli sniffled, but turned his head just enough to watch.

Kate hummed along with the radio, nuzzling a sweaty curl. "She's going to get her picture taken. Do you want your picture taken? You can smile and say cheese."

He twisted, looking at Alexis and then back up at her. Her heart stuttered at his bright, damp eyes.

"Your sisters will be with you."

Eli shook his head. "Mama."

"Mama, too?" Kate asked, kissing his forehead. "You'll get your picture taken if Mama's there?"

She wouldn't force him to do it. Rick wouldn't either, of course, but she knew it would make him happy it they were in the picture, too.

"Ya," Eli agreed, brightening at the idea.

Kate exhaled, cupping the back of his head. "Okay, baby. Mama will take the picture with you."

Rick must have brokered the same deal with Anna, because he didn't look the least bit surprised when Kate wrapped her fingers around his upper arm and tugged.

"Family picture, right?" she murmured, lifting an eyebrow.

Her boyfriend grinned, leaning in to kiss Eli's forehead and then hers before taking the spot to Santa's left and adjusting Anna. "Right. I'm just disappointed I didn't think to wear my Christmas sweater."

"I'm not," she retorted, smothering a delighted cackle as Alexis echoed the sentiment from Santa's knee.

"See what I'm up against, Santa?" he asked, feigning affront. "Completely outnumbered."

Santa gave a hearty chuckle in reply, looking between the twins. "I hear everyone in the family has been good this year. Including Alexis's favorite brother and sister."

Kate found herself smiling. The man was certainly jolly. Plus, from what she had seen, he had near-endless patience.

In fact, he didn't even flinch when fat tears started to roll down Eli's face. Anna took one look at her brother's distress, and quickly followed suit.

"You're okay, little ones. You just stay right where you are. Maybe you'll come see me when you're bigger," Santa soothed, giving Kate a kind smile.

Eli's face landed against her breast, his breath hot through her shirt, tears miraculously drying the longer she held him.

"Maybe you will, Santa," she murmured, swiping her thumb over Eli's cheek. "Okay, mister dramatic, can you say cheese for our picture?"

He heaved another sigh, but whispered what was probably his favorite word besides 'no' toward the camera.

Kate exhaled, leaning her cheek on his head and echoing the sentiment just before the flash.

They had just made it downstairs, the twins happily back in their stroller with half-unwrapped candy canes clenched firmly in their fists, when the next crisis arose. Her phone trilled from the depths of her pocket, breaking the morning's silence.

Beside her, Alexis slumped. "Do you have to go to work now?"

Though she wasn't scheduled until tomorrow afternoon, if she was being called in, it was for a good reason. It would mean putting the rest of their shopping on hold, but it would be necessary.

"Let me find out," she murmured, glancing at Rick. She was grateful not to see the same disappointment in his eyes.

He nodded, steering the stroller out of the way while she returned Stegner's call. She stepped back to them just a few minutes later, giving Alexis's braid a gentle tug.

"Let's go eat."

Rick tilted his head, looking her over. "You don't have to go?"

"I do," she confirmed, fixing Alexis's coat collar. "But we can eat first, as long as it's quick. Rain check on shopping, though?"

"Rain check accepted," he agreed without hesitation, stealing a quick kiss.

Alexis didn't seem as thrilled with the premise, but she nodded anyway. "If we gotta."

Kate tapped the girl's cheek, kneeling beside her to make sure she would be able to hear over the noise of the crowd. "Hey, what if we go tomorrow morning? Just you and me, bright and early, and we'll buy presents for Gram and Daddy and the twins -"

"And your daddy."

The acknowledgement warmed her. Her dad was part of the fold. "And my dad," she agreed, brushing her hand down Alexis's arm. "What about your mom? Should we shop for her, too?"

Alexis shook her head. "Daddy and I bought Mom's and mailed it last week."

Right. Meredith was going to be in Bermuda for - in Rick's words - a vacation masquerading as a movie shoot over the holiday. She had sent the first half of Alexis's present already, and warned Rick that the second half would be something from the island, and late. Alexis had been tight-lipped about not seeing her mom, but Kate felt for her anyway; she couldn't imagine not having her mother for Christmas when she was growing up.

Beckett nodded. "Okay, so Gram, Daddy, the twins, my dad, your teacher at school, and," she hummed, waiting until Alexis met her eyes again to continue, "maybe a treat for ourselves, too."

Alexis grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Just a little one, 'cause it's Christmas and you never know _what_ you're gonna get in your stocking."

"Hmm, you're right. Socks it is," she teased, pressing her lips to the girl's hair as she got to her feet. "Come on; let's get something to eat before we waste away."

Giggling, Alexis nodded. "I'm _starving_."

With that, she marched off, leaving the adults to heave the stroller forward and rush to keep up.

* * *

"Tell me about it," Rick murmured later, long after the kids were in bed and she had dragged herself in from a brutal interrogation to eat reheated leftovers on the couch.

"Mmm?" They both saw the question for what it was: she was stalling, feigning ignorance while she took the time to fortify herself against the memories.

"The case, Kate," he started, refusing to let her off the hook. "The one you mentioned earlier. The reason you tensed up at the idea of Alexis telling the store Santa that we'd moved."

Rick stretched his hand against her back, slipping under her shirt to warm the spot at the base of her spine that always ached after an afternoon spent in the box. It wasn't playing fair, but the touch was exactly what she needed. Her muscles loosened, the tension draining away until she exhaled, sinking against his side.

"I don't want to freak you out. I know you love doing the Santa thing, and I don't want something like this to change that."

His lips dusted across her forehead. "I'd rather be wary than be left in the dark. Protecting Alexis, protecting Anna and Eli, that is infinitely more important than a photograph and a hint about what to buy them when we can't get them everything. We worry about them every day, every minute; there's no changing that, and ignorance is not bliss."

No, it really wasn't.

"Okay," she relented, cupping his face and guiding him down to press her mouth to his. Her tongue darted out, teasing along the seam of his lips until he opened to her, letting her take refuge in him for a moment longer.

They parted as one, but she couldn't bring herself to put too much distance between them. Not for the story she was about to tell.

"About three years ago, I worked a case with a precinct in Queens. A triple homicide."

Rick nodded, thumbing slow circles on her back. "That's usually out of your jurisdiction, isn't it?"

"Yeah." She trailed her fingertip over his ear. "It usually is, but Montgomery knew the captain, and with it being so close to Christmas, they wanted to avoid a panic. So he sent me to help, because I'm good with cases like that. I had just made detective, but he sent me."

He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth, breathing his praise into her skin. "Extraordinary."

"Says you," she retorted, even as gratitude filled her chest. "I walked the crime scene, Rick, and it was… awful. It was awful. A mother, a father, their son…"

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue. "They had been to see Santa the week before, and the little boy had given the guy a letter with his wish list… including his address."

Rick's fingers curled against her back, digging against her skin as she continued.

"Nobody thought anything about it at the time, of course, because it was Santa and that's what you do. But the Santa who was there that day wasn't the regular one; the store had plucked a random employee out of a hat and dressed him up. Which would've been fine – stores do it all the time, I know – except they were apparently a 'no questions asked' kind of business."

"Oh, God," his voice cracked.

"I'm the one who caught it," she added, not to brag - there was no bragging about that case - just to give him the whole story. "He had a record the length of my arm. Little things, big things, horrible things, and yet every time he got out of prison somehow. Not after that. Never again."

Her arm wound around his neck, pulling him closer, using the touch of her mouth to banish the haunted look from his eyes. Telling him was probably a terrible idea, especially so close to a holiday that filled him with joy and hope.

"I put the cuffs on him myself, Rick. I testified at his trial. He's in prison until he dies. No chance of parole."

"Good. That's… he went to their house?"

She nodded, squeezing his neck. "He took the address and went to their house. He wanted to rob them, said they were fancy enough to have good stuff, and they just got in the way. Those were his exact words: they got in the _way_. He killed those people in the most… _awful_ way simply because they _inconvenienced_ him."

Rick shuddered, palming her back, pulling her into him. "Jesus, Kate. That's sick."

Pressing her forehead to his temple, she nodded. "Yeah it is. And it's… I carry that case with me every time I take the twins out, every time I take Alexis out, even any time the five of us go anywhere."

"I understand," he cut her off, holding her tighter. His breath staggered across her cheek. "You avoid names, I noticed, but I thought it was just because of the publicity."

"No. I mean, yes, it is partially because of the publicity. But it's also that. I just try to be cautious about what we say, how much we give up. Because I can't vet everyone we come across, though believe me, I've thought about it."

That ticked his lips upward.

After a moment, Rick's fingers relaxed against her back, moving to push her hair away from her face. "I'll talk to Paula and make sure the policy on our privacy is clear. And we'll talk to Alexis, too, about not saying too much out in public. I've given her the stranger talk before, but it's probably time to reiterate it. Especially since she has a new brother and sister to show off to people."

Sitting up, Kate smoothed her hands down his cheeks. She wasn't about to argue with him. Not when it came to this. "I don't want to scare her. Yes, she needs to have it reinforced, but I don't want to scare her."

Her boyfriend shook his head, palming her cheek. "We won't. We won't. We'll - wait, I've got it."

Her brow furrowed. "Got what?"

"The best way to tell her without causing her to sleep in our bed until she's twenty."

"And that is?" she asked, squirming to stretch her legs.

"Spy game. We act like spies in public. No real names unless necessary, code words, the works. It'll be great. She'll love it."

Kate blinked. That was… not what she had expected him to say. But, just like using Santa as a gift barometer, it was somewhat brilliant.

"Okay," she agreed, lurching forward to catch his mouth again. "Spy game. For all of us. The twins, too, once they're old enough to understand."

"Done," he promised, holding the back of her head. His nose brushed hers, careful, soothing, gentling the urgency that had risen in her gut. "I love you."

"I love you," she echoed, slicking her tongue over his bottom lip. The memory of the case still swirled at the edge of her consciousness, but she had an idea of how they could exile it, even if just for a little while. "Now come on, I want to love you in the bath."

* * *

Somehow, the next two weeks managed to fly by. Between the kids, her caseload, Rick's writing schedule, and last minute Christmas shopping, it felt like they never sat down for long. And when they did, it was primarily to go to sleep.

But it was good, too. When Rick needed to write, she was there. On the nights she came home weary and feeling grief curl at the edge of her heart, the four of them were there for her. They made it easier, they made her proud of the work she had done already.

For the first time since her mother's death, she was actually looking forward to Christmas.

It helped that she and Rick had used their combined budget to go all out for presents this year. All three of the kids would clean up nicely, and after the secret shopping she had done before work one day, Rick would too. The thought of their eager faces ripping into their gifts was enough to send a thrill up her spine; they would be so happy, they really would.

Of course, the anticipation might have actually made Christmas Eve more insane than it already was. She had been at the station until almost two forty-five finishing her paperwork long after everyone else from her shift had retired for the night. When she finally trudged into the apartment, it had been too much work to find her pajamas in the dark; instead, she had stripped down to her underwear and curled against her boyfriend's side, letting him keep her warm.

Just a few hours after her head hit the pillow, she woke to find all three of the kids staring down at her. Their energy levels hadn't waned, either; they were wired with the knowledge that it was _almost_ the big day, refusing to settle for more than a few minutes at a time.

By three fifteen, exhaustion had settled heavily on her shoulders and she called for reinforcements from Rick, all-but begging to switch places with him in the kitchen.

"Switch places? You tired or something?" he teased, dropping a dishtowel on the counter before checking one of the dishes he had cooling on the stove. He had been cooking the sides for their Christmas dinner all day long, and while it smelled good, it was definitely his turn to wrangle the monsters.

"Cute. Help me out for ten minutes, okay?"

She hadn't meant to snap at him, but with her words, her boyfriend's face softened, all traces of humor falling away.

"Sorry, honey. What can I do?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, she sent the monsters in to accost him, flopping back against the couch as soon as their bare little feet connected with the tile. Their happy squeals echoed through the apartment, turning her lips up even as her eyes slipped shut.

Daddy could wear them out for a little while.

The next thing she knew, Rick was opening the apartment door and ushering her father inside. He was dressed for dinner, she noticed. They both were.

Scrubbing her hand over her face, she made a valiant effort to force herself from her sleep fog.

"How long was I out?" she croaked, attempting to get to her feet, only to find herself weighed down by two little bodies, both sprawled across her torso. "Better question, how long have they been out?"

"You? Two hours. Them? Almost an hour," Rick replied, smiling over his shoulder. "We ran around for a while and then they wanted to sit with you. Alexis is changing now. Mother's helping her; she got here half an hour ago."

Kate grimaced. Great, his mother had seen her in her sweats and drooling. Oh well. Martha would see her in her pajamas tomorrow morning when she came over to watch the kids open presents from Santa; what was one more unflattering look.

"Kay," she said, brushing Anna's hair off her forehead. "Of course you decide to nap an hour before everyone gets here."

Her father chuckled from the coat closet. "Just like you, sweetheart. Always falling asleep on your own time."

"Funny," she drawled, easing Eli into the space between her body and the back of the couch, shifting her weight to do the same for Anna.

When they moved, they were definitely taking Rick's couch; it was huge compared to hers.

Once she was on her feet, she took a moment to stretch before crossing the living room to greet her father. His arms wound around her shoulders, pulling her into a familiar embrace. She couldn't help but press her face into his sweater, breathing in the scent of his detergent, the same detergent her mom had always used.

For the first time in weeks, the ache returned full-force, stealing her breath, staggering her. Fuck, she missed her mom. Excited as she was to celebrate this Christmas, she missed her mom. And from the way her father's arms tightened, he was feeling the pangs of her absence this year, too.

"I'm glad you're here, Dad," she murmured, touching her lips to his cheek, bringing them both back from their contemplation. "We're glad you're here."

Melancholy lingered in his eyes when she stepped away, but her father smiled, giving her a nod. "I'm glad I'm here, too, Katie."

Her fingers curled around his, tugging him deeper into the apartment. Rick's place was the more festive of the two, so they had opted to make it home base for dinner, presents, and Santa. She planned to invite her father and Martha to sleep at her place so they would be nearby for the morning. It wasn't the ideal set up, but at least all of them would be under one roof, so to speak.

"Did you decorate more since I was here last?" Jim asked, giving the room a long look.

"Mhmm," she confirmed, casting an affectionate glance in Rick's direction. "They put up the snowflakes on the windows yesterday while I was at work, and - when did you finish those?"

Her boyfriend followed her pointing finger, releasing a quiet laugh at her confusion. "While you were asleep. They might actually still be a little warm from the oven, but Alexis wanted to get her masterpieces ready for everyone to appreciate."

"A nativity scene?" her father asked, stepping closer to the collection of molded clay figures to see for himself.

"Ah, kind of an everything scene," Kate murmured, tracing a fingertip over one of her contributions to the art project. It resembled a lopsided dog more than the reindeer she had envisioned, but Alexis had painted a red nose for her, which helped give it context. "We started with the nativity, but baby Jesus ended up looking more like a pea pod with arms, so we went with general Christmas things instead. Felt a little less sacrilegious."

Jim chuckled. "They're adorable."

"Thanks. And you can see who the overachiever was," she drawled, pointing to the detailed, near-perfect clay gingerbread house before turning her gaze to Rick.

He shrugged, offering her father a mug of hot cider. "We agreed no real one this year, in case the twins tried to eat the candy accouterments. So I improvised."

"Ah." Jim shook his head, giving them both an affectionate smile. "So how are you both?"

"We're good, Dad," Kate promised, slipping her arm around Rick's waist. "Shopped out, I think, but good."

Rick chuckled, coasting his fingers up her arm to thumb her shoulder. "Definitely shopped out. I always forget how vicious people get in the final week; I had someone nearly take my hand off the other day. All over a toy!"

"Johanna once got into it with someone to get Katie a stuffed dog."

Kate laughed, feeling her cheeks heat at the memory. God, she had wanted that toy so badly. "My Pound Puppy," she murmured. "Wait, Mom got into a _fight_ to get me Woofus?"

"She did. Had a scratch down her face for days afterward. She insisted it hadn't been her fault, but your mom would've probably taken down a linebacker to get it for you."

Her boyfriend shook with quiet laughter, dusting a kiss against her temple. "That sounds right. Also, Woofus?"

"Shut up, I was Alexis's age and I thought it was great. He was a puppy and he had spots around his eyes that looked like glasses. So, Woofus seemed like a scholarly doggy name."

Warmth filled her chest as he laughed again. He loved hearing stories like that. Loved piecing together the details of her life before they met.

"I'm gonna need to see pictures from that Christmas, you know. Of you and of Woofus. Though, it's too bad there's no photographic evidence of the damage your mom did."

"He still sits on Katie's bed at my apartment," Jim offered, his face a mask of innocence when she turned to glare at him. "You can see him the next time you bring the twins over. And I'll dig out some of the pictures to show you."

"Dad."

"Perfect." Rick beamed, flexing his fingers against the curve of her shoulder. Damn it, he was getting a little too good at ignoring her 'looks.' "And Kate, you have to promise me, if we ever get a dog, we're not naming him Woofus."

Her eyebrow arched. "If we ever get a dog? How 'bout we find a place to live that's big enough for the five of us before we start adding occupants?"

"Occupants?" Her father's lips turned up, amused by her wording.

"Four-legged occupants, Dad," she clarified, lest he get any ideas about more grandkids coming along any time soon. "Four-legged occupants."

Beside her, Rick's breath stuttered at her words, his chuckle more of a strangled whine than an actual laugh. Glancing up, she found his eyes had darkened, gleaming cobalt in the warm light. _Oh_.

He liked the idea of additional two legged occupants. He _loved_ the idea of more little ones with his sly smile and easy joy.

Her belly fluttered at the thought. She did, too. Just not now. Eventually, yes. But not now.

"Touché," he rumbled a half-second later, thumbing the edge of her t-shirt sleeve. "New place first, everything else second."

"Right," she agreed, clearing her throat. "I'm going to get cleaned up. Give me five minutes? Then we can do dinner, or snacks, or whatever?"

Both men agreed, sharing a smile. Uh oh, she knew that look on her father's face.

Kate rolled her eyes, dropping a kiss on Rick's shoulder before pulling away. "Don't share more embarrassing Christmas stories, Dad. I don't want to have to separate you two."

Both men turned to her, their eyes bright with mischief. For the first time since she had introduced them, she was regretting the fact that they got along so well.

"No promises, Katie."

Of course not.

* * *

 _A/N: As always, thank you all so very much for your kind words and your endless support for this story. I'm humbled by every single note and review._


	17. Chapter 17

_Thank you all for sticking with me and this story through both the long waits and the shorter ones. Your kind words mean more to me than I can even hope to express._

 **Take the Stairs - Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

"Daddy, wake up!"

Rick shot up in bed, clawing the blankets away from his skin as his heart attempted to force its way through his rib cage and out of his chest entirely. Sucking in a breath, he twisted to find the source of the cry, only to come nose to nose with his bright-eyed, beaming daughter.

Beside him, Kate jolted to awareness. Twisting to face her, he found her eyes wild in the hazy pre-dawn light.

"Wha? What's wrong?"

He shook his head, smoothing his palm over her hip. "Shh, s'okay. Go back to slee-"

"Daddy! Kate!" Alexis insisted, shaking her head. "Get up, it's _Christmas_."

His girlfriend flopped back, covering her face with her hands to mask her groan. She wasn't angry, he knew, she was just tired.

They hadn't gone to bed until late. Following the insanity that was another Beckett-Castle-Rodgers family dinner, they had needed time to unwind. And, of course, they had needed to give the kids the chance to fall asleep before putting out the presents. After that, the night had been theirs. Which had been most enjoyable at the time, but maybe ill advised, given how early it was now.

Turning back to his daughter, he tried another angle.

"I know, pumpkin, but it's also very _early_. Remember the rule?"

Alexis released a heavy sigh, dropping her cheek onto the mattress beside his knee. "No presents before the sun wakes up. But, Daddy, it's my brother and sister's _first_ Christmas. I think that means we can make a 'ception."

He didn't have the brain power to argue with her on a technicality. It _wasn't_ the twins' first Christmas, but it _was_ their first with them.

"Are they awake?" he asked instead, rubbing at his eyes.

He knew the answer already. With the twins in Alexis's room for the night, Kate had brought the monitor from her place. That way if either baby fussed, one of them would be able to get to them before they woke their sister.

The only thing he heard was the sound of deep, even breathing.

Yawning into the crook of his arm, Rick awaited his daughter's response. He was fairly certain Kate had already dozed off again, and sleep was threatening to pull him back under as well; he just needed to get Alexis to settle.

"No," she answered, drawing the single syllable out. She knew he had her there.

Palming the back of her head, Rick hummed. "In that case, you can rest with us for a little longer. Then when the twins wake up, we'll make breakfast and do presents. Okay? We don't want to wake Gram too early, after all."

Alexis giggled an agreement. "She _must_ have her beauty rest, darling," she added, doing a credible impression of his mother.

"Right, pumpkin," Rick hummed, slipping his hands under her armpits. "C'mere."

Already, Kate was shifting back, making room for him to haul Alexis onto the bed. He considered putting her between them, but as fidgety as she was, it was probably better to spare Kate the kicks to the shin. Instead, he put himself in the middle, rolling onto his side to curl around his daughter.

Alexis squirmed, making herself comfortable in the dip his body had left behind. His lips curled against her hair, and she hummed at his whispered request for her to sleep, already drifting off.

Kate snuggled against his back a moment later - the big spoon to his little spoon – fitting the long lines of her body to his. Her breath drifted, soft and warm, across his t-shirt before her forehead settled between his shoulder blades and her palm smoothed along his waist. The touch was all he needed to let the rest of his tension drain away and sink deeper into the mattress for a little while longer.

He woke next to the smell of breakfast, and the sound of his children laughing. Both Kate and Alexis were gone, so he could only assume they were the ones doing the cooking, and not Jim or - God forbid - his mother.

Either way, he didn't want to be away from them any longer. It was Christmas day.

Flinging the covers to the side, he sucked in a deep breath before standing and letting the kinks work their way out of his muscles with his exhale. After coaxing the final pop from his back, he ducked into the bathroom to relieve himself, brush his teeth, and grab his robe from the hook on the door.

Instead of soft, charcoal terry cloth, his hand encountered air. Kate had absconded with his robe. Again.

Well, it was only fair; she had gotten to it first. Plus, it gave the baser part of him a thrill every time she wore his clothes, every time she wrapped herself in something that smelled like him.

Padding out to the rest of his apartment, Rick heard the noise build. Kate's quiet murmurs were almost lost amidst Alexis's ongoing chatter, and the twins' babbling, but nobody seemed to be complaining.

Slowing, he took a moment just to watch them. The twins were in their high chairs, methodically shoveling their breakfast into their mouths between squeals of delight. Alexis was perched on the stool she had claimed as her own, her hair wild still from sleep, but her eyes sharp and joyous. And Kate, Kate was practically glowing as she made laps around the small kitchen. Her hair had been tossed into a messy ponytail, and he watched as she shoved the sleeves of his robe up to her elbows to flip a final set of pancakes before she twisted and deposited another batch of bacon onto the counter beside a heaping bowl of strawberries.

"There you are. I was just about to send Alexis to wake you," the subject of his observation called, pulling him into their world. "Come eat before it gets cold."

Rick blinked. "How'd you -"

Kate grinned, grabbing his favorite snowman mug and moving to the coffee maker to pour him a cup. His breath stuttered at her smile, at the peace he saw radiating from her eyes, and his steps came quicker, eager to be in her orbit, to be a part of this moment.

All month long, Kate had worried she wouldn't be enough, that her history wouldn't allow her to be what the twins needed - what he and Alexis needed - for the holiday. But God, she was _more_ than enough; she could never not be. Just by virtue of being here and being _her_ , she was enough. She was the woman he loved and a mother who loved her children with a fierceness that stole his breath each day; she was enough.

"Heard your feet as you were walking," she explained, turning to hand him the coffee and take a kiss from his mouth. "Stealthy you are not, Mr. Castle."

"Hey, I'll have you know that I hold my own when Alexis and I play laser tag."

If she heard the huskiness in his voice, she chose not to comment. Instead, her lips pressed to his once more.

"Morning."

Setting the mug on the counter, Rick slipped his hands underneath the flaps of "her" robe, drawing her hips closer to his. She came without protest, looping her arms around his neck and opening to him at the tease of his tongue over her lips.

He hummed against her mouth; judging by the taste of her lips, someone had been sneaking pancake batter and fruit. He approved.

"This is not eating breakfast," Kate murmured on a staggered breath, flicking her thumb over his earlobe.

"Could be if we had the house to ourselves," he offered sotto voce, dodging her swatting hands to smudge a final kiss to her forehead before he released her.

"Take your coffee and get a plate," she ordered, fixing the knot on her borrowed robe. "I'll move the twins into the living room in a sec. Alexis, go ahead and grab what you want, bud. You get first pick."

Rick watched his daughter jump into action, piling her plate high with the food Kate had prepared before disappearing into the other room to make herself comfortable at the coffee table. Turning to the twins, he made a show of saying good morning, kissing sticky cheeks, and accepting their offerings of half-mashed pancakes.

"It's Christmas, guys. Did you know that?" he asked, wiping Anna's hands clean before tackling her face. "This is one of my favorite days ever. Besides your birthday, and Alexis's birthday, and Mommy's birthday, and the day Star Wars first came out."

Kate snickered, stepping beside him and taking the washcloth from his hand to clean Eli up as well. "Interesting priorities."

"I try. Okay squeaker, you wanna help me decide what to eat for breakfast?" He unlatched the tray, lifting Anna into his arms.

The baby grinned, cheerfully giving him a half-English-half-gibberish rundown of her morning as he went about filling his plate. A moment later, Kate joined him with Eli on her hip.

"Should I save some for my mother or your dad?" Rick asked, offering Anna a strawberry from the bowl before moving onto the plate of bacon.

Kate shook her head. "I called when I got up and they said they wanted to give us the chance to have a family breakfast. They'll come over in a little bit."

"Ah, so Mother wanted an excuse to sleep in."

She laughed, dusting a kiss over Eli's hair. "Probably. But they know not to wait too long or Alexis might explode in anticipation. Won't you, Alexis?"

" _Yes._ Daddy, there are _so_ many presents!" Alexis called from the other room.

He chuckled, looking into the living room. As his back could attest, there _were_ a lot of presents, but looking at the piles he and Kate had constructed, it almost seemed like there were more?

Kate's lips touched his jaw. "Santa thought you'd been extra good this year. He doubled back."

"He - really?"

She shrugged, her smirk contradicting her wide, innocent eyes. "I dunno; you'll have to ask him. Now, come eat."

* * *

He had to admit his daughter's patience impressed him. She spent their entire breakfast staring at the pile of wrapped and unwrapped presents, barely making sure her food was getting into her mouth, but she lasted far longer than he'd expected her to, given how long she had been waiting. Given how early she had tried to drag them out of bed.

Of course, as soon as the grandparents made themselves comfortable - Kate's father with a coffee and his mother with a mimosa - Alexis jumped up, declaring it time to get started.

"Santa presents first, okay?" his daughter asked, looking between the adults.

Rick looked to his girlfriend for any indication of her preference, but she simply shrugged, deferring to him.

"You're the one with the tried and true system," she murmured, dropping a kiss on Eli's cheek. "We're still figuring out what works for us."

"In that case, okay, pumpkin. Let's see what Santa brought you guys."

Together, he and Kate settled on the floor with the twins, letting them explore the section of presents meant for them.

Before he could ask Anna what she was seeing, Alexis shrieked.

"Yes! Yes, yes, _yes._ He brought it! He brought it! He brought it!"

Kate nudged him with her elbow, offering him a sly smile before turning to his eldest. "What'd he bring you, Alexis?"

Alexis beamed, kneeling in front of the massive box. "The _science kit_ I asked for! The whole thing. Not the half one, the _whole one._ Kate, Daddy, _look_! This is the coolest thing ever! It has _everything_."

Rick grinned, leaning sideways to inspect the box. Technically, she had only asked for the partial kit, but when he and Kate saw the full one - complete with a telescope that might not be of any use until the next time they got out of the city - they had decided to spring for it.

"That is so cool, pumpkin. We'll have to open it up and put everything together later."

"Uh huh." She ran her hand over the box, tilting it back to read another one of the descriptions aloud. "Can I look at your blood daddy? In the microscope?"

"I, well," he hedged. He didn't love the idea of an eight-year-old taking his blood, but if that was what she wanted to look at, he would do it.

Beside him, Kate chuckled. "If Daddy says no, you can look at mine."

"Kay!" That satisfied her.

"I wasn't going to say _no_ ," Rick scoffed, leaning over to blow a raspberry on Anna's cheek. The baby squealed at the affection, wiggling out of his embrace to grapple for her own Christmas presents. "You can look at both of ours if you want. Our spit, too."

He wiggled his eyebrows in Kate's direction.

"Ew! That's gross."

"But it could be interesting to look at under a microscope."

"Oh, tha's a good point, Daddy. Kay! Spit too!" Alexis beamed, doubly placated.

"Daddy, toy!"

Rick gasped, turning to his youngest daughter. "It's a _toy_? You're right, it is. Good word, squeaker. Where'd you learn that?"

She giggled, lifting the plastic guitar by the neck in lieu of giving him an answer. The toy was almost as tall as she was, but apart from a little wobble, she managed to haul it around to him.

"I see. It's your guitar. Are you gonna play a song for me?"

Anna smacked the green button, bouncing in delight as an electronic guitar riff blared through the speaker in the body.

"Good job, squeaker. How cool is that?"

The baby wiggled along with the tune, offering him a gleeful smile. Both he and Kate knew noise-making toys were a headache waiting to happen, but the excitement he was witnessing made up for it. A little bit anyway.

Rick turned to Eli, brushing a hand over his head. "What about you, squirmy? What'd you get?"

His son ignored him in favor of grinning up at Kate, mashing one of the brightly colored buttons on the keyboard. They had bought them different instruments, figuring they would have more fun that way. So far, he had been right.

He was probably also right about the matching industrial-grade earplugs he had slipped into his and Kate's stockings. But they wouldn't break those out until later.

"Ah, showing off for Mommy, I see. Exactly what I would do."

"That _is_ what you do, Daddy," Alexis reminded without looking up from her present pile. "All the time."

Well, she wasn't wrong.

"You're funny," he drawled, dancing his fingers along the arch of one socked foot.

Alexis squealed, pulling her feet underneath her body. "No tickles right now; I'm concentrating."

"Yeah Rick," Kate teased, knocking his elbow with hers. "She's concentrating on her loot. I'm surprised you aren't, too."

Before he could reply, she reached past Anna for one of the boxes that hadn't been there last night, plunking it into his lap with a triumphant grin.

"From Santa," she explained, raising her eyebrows. "He knows you've been pining for this."

He wouldn't even try to deny the squeak that passed his lips. He had been dying to get his hands on the cherry red remote controlled rotorcraft for months, but every time he finally had enough discretionary cash saved up, it had been sold out.

"This is really for me? Not a joke? No empty box or socks inside?"

Kate laughed, dusting a kiss over the swell of his cheek before turning back to the twins. "All yours, babe. And if there are socks inside, Santa's going to be pretty pissed. It took a bidding war on eBay to get that one."

"Oh," he breathed. "I _love_ Santa."

His girlfriend snickered, hiding her grin against Eli's neck until she was able to get a hold of herself. "Okay, why don't we start passing out the rest of the presents? Gram and Grandpa are being left out."

Rick looked to Jim to apologize, but found nothing but contentment on the man's face.

"Take your time," Jim murmured, waving them off. "I think we're just fine here. Aren't we, Martha?"

His mother smirked, lifting her champagne glass in agreement. "We certainly are, Jim. I've always enjoyed a good show."

Turning back to his girlfriend, Rick shook his head. "Time to hand out the presents. If only to distract her."

Kate grinned, sending Eli back to his gifts from Santa and moving to distribute the wrapped gifts to their rightful owners.

* * *

Hours later, he finally had the chance to sink into the cushioned embrace of the couch. The grandparents were gone, the dishes were done, the kitchen was cleaned, and though the rest of the apartment was a disaster with toys and scraps of wrapping paper everywhere, he did not care.

It had been an _amazing_ Christmas, one he would remember for a long time to come, but he was worn out.

"Hey," Kate murmured, sifting her fingers through his hair. One eye popped open to find her leaning over him, haloed by the light on the end table. "Kids are finally asleep. Make room for me?"

"Mmm, course. You want outside or inside?"

Her shoulder lifted toward her ear. "Don't care, just move over and let me sit."

Nodding, Rick squirmed back, holding out an arm in invitation.

"Thanks," she breathed, dropping into the space he had made for her, groaning in relief. "How do you do this every year? I am exhausted. It's possible I'll be exhausted until next Christmas."

Lifting a hand to sift his fingers through her hair, Rick hummed. "You're not alone. Alexis is a handful most Christmases, but this is a new level of tired."

"Congratulations, it's twins," she said, offering him a wry smile.

His first Christmas with the twins. Yeah, he felt good. Sure, his body ached, and his ears were still ringing from the Castle Family Band concert earlier, but he would not change a moment of the day.

"They're cute; we can keep them."

She laughed. "Glad you approve."

His lips slid across her forehead. "We'll stock up on vitamins for next year. Make espresso instead of regular coffee. For us, not them. They won't need it."

His girlfriend snorted, shaking her head. "Mmm, kay."

Kate settled against him, tucking her nose in the hollow of his throat.

"You wanna go to bed?" he offered, only to have her shake her head.

"It's still early. Just need to relax a little bit, unwind."

Good luck with that. Rick knew if he got any more relaxed, he would be waking up in the same spot at seven tomorrow morning. But he wouldn't force the issue. There were worst places to be than holding a woman who loved him in his living room while their children slept.

"Hey Rick?" she murmured a little while later, lifting her head to find his eyes. "Was this year okay?"

He blinked. Was this year okay?

"This year was more than okay. Better than okay. This year was phenomenal, Kate. Did you see how much fun the kids had? How much fun our parents had?"

She nodded at his assurances, dipping her chin. "Yeah, I did. But I meant for you. You looked like you were having fun with Alexis's stuff, and the play sets, but -" she paused, raking her teeth over her lip as she sorted through her words. "What about your gifts? What about how you felt - besides the limb-numbing exhaustion. Was it okay?"

Twisting, he slanted his lips over hers. This year was everything he had wanted family Christmases to be, but hadn't been able to achieve until she had come into his life - again.

The fact that she had bought him an Italian leather jacket, a new notebook, and the battery his laptop had needed (on top of that _amazing_ RC helicopter, of course) was pure bonus. Pure, awesome, awe-inspiring bonus.

"Kate," he started, his breath puffing across her lips. "My gifts were amazing. My _day_ was amazing."

Just like that, the nervous furrow of her brow eased, and her smile turned shy, joyful.

"Yeah?" she asked, smoothing his shirt collar down. It was no wonder the material was warping; the kids always went for that same spot, curling their fingers around the edge of the fabric and holding onto him. That must have been why they had picked out new sweaters for him.

"Oh yeah," he promised, taking another kiss from her. "Best Christmas ever."

Kate's fingers brushed his chin. "For me, too. And not just because of the boots, or because those earrings are stunning."

Pride welled in his chest. He had considered other jewelry, looking first for something with their birthstones, but every option he saw was gaudy and cheesy rolled into one. His eyes had even lingered over the rings, imagining each one on her finger before he ultimately decided against making the leap. It wasn't the right time. It was a _good_ time; they were happy, and he was confident she would say yes, but he also knew it wasn't the _right_ time. She wouldn't want to deal with planning a wedding on top of moving and tackling their day-to-day lives, and truthfully, neither would he.

Then he had found the earrings. Sapphires and diamonds woven into an intricate spiral he had just known she would love. A few days later, he bought her a new chain for her mother's ring, knowing the clasp was wearing out after repeated use and abuse. The look on her face when she opened the box told him he had made the right choice.

The engagement ring could come later.

"I'm glad," he rumbled. His palm slid over the curve of hip, slipping under her t-shirt in search of skin.

Kate shivered, thumbing the curve of his jaw. "If I get your computer, want to do some apartment hunting?"

"Mmm, sure. But," he added, tugging her back when she started to slide away. "In a few minutes. Let's just enjoy this right now."

She slumped against him once more, her long limbs knocking his as she settled.

"Sorry," she whispered, rubbing a hand over his belly. "Didn't mean to sucker punch you."

"Sure you didn't, sweetheart. Sure you didn't." He grinned, making a half-hearted attempt to dodge the pillow she lobbed his way.

"Keep it up and I'll do it again and mean it," Kate grumbled, turning her head into his arm.

Rick dropped a kiss on her shoulder, rubbing his foot along her shin.

"No you won't," he singsonged, feeling her sag deeper into the cushions. He had a feeling they wouldn't be looking at apartments until tomorrow at the earliest.

"No," she conceded around a yawn. "I won't."

"Uh huh. I thought so," he teased, kissing the curve of her cheek. "Merry Christmas, by the way."

Kate hummed, curling against him. "Merry Christmas, Rick."

Less than five minutes later, her eyes fluttered shut.

"And to all a good night," he murmured, drawing her closer before surrendering to the pull of sleep.

* * *

 _A/N: Confession - part of this chapter was supposed to go in the last one, but chapter 16 was already so large, I knew it wouldn't fit. After talking with Lindsey, I decided to rework things a bit and this little bonus chapter was born. Thank you, Lindsey!_


	18. Chapter 18

**Take the Stairs - Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

Before meeting Rick Castle, she hadn't put much stock in fate or kismet, whatever one might call it. She had never bought into the idea of a grand plan, a single destination that all roads led to, regardless of the choices people made along the way. Instead, she had made a point of believing only in coincidences and the magic people made for themselves.

After the morning she had had, she was starting to rethink that position.

The day had been a comedy of errors from the very start. Power outages, empty canisters of coffee, fussy children and an equally disgruntled significant other. She had been late for work, had been handed the task of talking to her victim's former business partner, and had traipsed her way to SoHo only to have the man not answer the door.

But if all of that hadn't happened, if any one thing had gone the way it was supposed to, she probably wouldn't have found her way down the street at just the right time, and wouldn't be standing where she was, looking around what had to be the most perfect apartment on the planet.

Rick would call it a glaring neon sign from the universe, for sure.

"I'm so sorry about that," the realtor - Jane - stepped back into the open living room, pulling Kate's attention away from the large windows and high ceilings. "My boss was none too happy to hear that I had mixed up the showing dates, but when I told her I had someone looking anyway…"

Beckett smiled over her shoulder. "It helped a little, huh?"

"You have no idea. She wanted to hit the ground running, with an open house the first day it was available, not the day before."

"Oops."

"Yeah," Jane breathed, tugging at her blazer..

"Well, what can you tell me about the place?" Beckett asked, steering the conversation away from the logistics of either of them being there. The woman was uncomfortable enough; there was no reason to dwell on the mistake.

Jane brightened. "Right! This is the largest unit out of thirteen in the building, and the only one currently vacant. It was a rent controlled property, as is most of the building, but unfortunately the previous tenant passed away. When his estate was settled, the property was turned over to us by the landlord to market at a controlled rate."

Licking her lips, Kate nodded. Her fingers itched to text Rick, to get him to come see the place with her, but after parting with terse words that morning, maybe a better peace offering would be calling him after she had scoped everything out.

"I see. And you said there are three bedrooms? Plus the office space?"

Jane nodded. "Two bedrooms upstairs, one downstairs through the doorway over there." She pointed to an opening near the front door. "Of course, you can also reach the bedroom through the office space."

Kate followed her beyond a set of structural columns, taking in the narrow balcony on one side of the room, marveling at the sheer amount of _space_ the place had.

The bottom floor alone had to be bigger than either of their apartments, maybe both of them combined.

"We do recommend using this side as the bedroom, however, since it has the most privacy, the two closets, and the en suite through here," Jane added, leading her into the bathroom.

She stopped just inside the doorway, marveling. Gorgeous tile floors, a beautiful glass shower, even the toilet looked updated. There was only one sink, but the counter top was spacious enough for two to stand side by side and get ready in the mornings.

And, oh, that _tub_.

Kate's skin warmed at the thought of sinking into lavender-scented water and a cloud of bubbles, reaching for a glass of wine, and just drifting off for a few minutes.

Not to mention it was large enough for two. For her to make Rick's broad chest her pillow and his fingertips to leave wet trails over her skin.

It was perfect for them, but -

"What about upstairs?"

Two bedrooms for three kids wasn't ideal, of course, but finding a four bedroom, rent-stabilized place in the city wasn't going to happen. Not unless Hell froze over, the market crashed even lower, book sales exploded, and the NYPD gave her a raise. No, the twins would be fine sharing for a while.

"Follow me, I'll take you up and let you look around. There are two bedrooms, both good sized, and a full bath. And while I'm thinking about it, down here we also have laundry and a powder room, so guests won't have to traipse through the master or run upstairs to use the restroom."

That was good.

The stairs weren't exactly child friendly either, but they could work with that. They could install bumpers to keep the twins from slipping through, gates to keep them from going up and down at will.

It was doable.

The first room they saw was the larger of the two. It would probably be better for the twins since two of everything took up space, but if Alexis wanted the larger room because she was older, they could compromise.

Kate stumbled over the threshold of the second bedroom. She needed to stop. At least until she knew how much they were asking per month, or had talked to Rick, something. She couldn't fall in love with this place just yet, couldn't let herself picture cuddling her kids in a rocker by the window, or cooking in the kitchen downstairs.

Except she already had. Damn it.

She loved it, and she knew Rick would love it, too.

"What's the rent?"

The number didn't shock or surprise her, but her heart stumbled anyway. It was still high, right at the top of the limit for a stabilized property, but given everything…

Jane smiled, rocking on her heels in her eagerness to reel her in even further. "I probably don't have to tell you this, but this really is a fantastic location. You have access to everything within a few blocks, and if you can't find it there are subway stations nearby as well. And I don't know if your children are old enough, but there are a number of good schools nearby. If not, it's never too early to start looking."

Shit, they would have to do that soon, wouldn't they? Alexis attended a private school, but that didn't mean the twins would go there as well. Kate hadn't gone to private school, and she'd turned out just fine, after all.

But that was a conversation for another day.

She cleared her throat, giving Jane's words a thoughtful nod but forging ahead. "And since it's the first day - sort of - on the market, there aren't any other applications yet?"

"None, but I will warn you, that will change. In this neighborhood, at this price, it's a guarantee."

Damn it. She'd been afraid of that. Competitive as she was, she didn't want to let this place slip through her fingers, not if she could help it.

"I - " Kate licked her lips, weighing her options. "Would you mind if I made a couple of calls? I'm interested, I just… this wasn't really what I set out to do today, so I need to take care of a few things before I can stay longer."

Like calling Espo and letting him know she would be back in a few hours if Montgomery asked. And getting Rick here to look before she made a unilateral decision and submitted a rental application.

Shit, she had lost her mind, hadn't she?

Jane nodded, offering to wait for her downstairs.

"Thanks."

She waited for the woman to retreat, listening to the tap of her heels on the stairs before grabbing her phone from her pocket. The notifications had started piling up already; two from Espo, two from Ryan, one from Rick, and she gave them all a cursory glance before making her first call.

The boys huffed at the idea of her being gone until mid-afternoon, but agreed to cover for her if their boss asked. They knew she would come back to the precinct with both the information they needed and donuts as a peace offering. That was assuming her guy was actually _there_ when she knocked again.

Mindful of the real estate agent waiting downstairs, she didn't stop to second guess before making the next call. Thankfully, Rick picked up on the second ring, greeting her with a cheer that told her his earlier annoyance with one her had passed.

"Hey, how's your case going? Did you see my message about dinner?"

"Yeah, I saw. That sounds great. And the case is okay, but um…" Beckett paused, looking around the bedroom once more before stepping into the hallway. "What are you doing right now? Wanna meet me somewhere?"

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later, he came jogging up to the front of the building, looking both confused and hopelessly intrigued. Kate grinned, holding the door open for him to skid in from the January cold.

"Hi," she breathed, helping him unfurl the scarf from around his neck before using it to tug him down for a firm kiss. "Thanks for coming."

Rick's arm slid around her waist, keeping her close as an easy smile lifted his lips. "Of course. Now, I've been thinking about why you called me in the middle of the day, and I can only assume it's for carnal reasons, since you're still holding out on letting me come to work with you. Unless you… did you cave? Is this for your case? Something I can help you with? I am at your disposal, Detective Beckett."

Rolling her eyes, she stepped back, pulling him by the hand toward the elevator. "Not a case, babe. Not gonna cave about that."

"Mmm," he hummed, looking thoughtful. "You will."

"I won't."

His shoulder knocked hers as they stepped onto the lift. "We'll see. So what's up?"

"I have something to show you."

"No complaints here," Rick rumbled, sweeping his eyes down her body and back up. "But I didn't think this was a hotel…"

"Shut up," she growled, lowering her head to hide her darkening cheeks. "It's not for sex either."

"Damn. So… what is it about?" he prompted, expectant.

Licking her lips, she waited for the elevator door to open at the top floor. "Just… come with me."

He followed, slipping his thumb over her knuckles, managing to calm her nerves with just the simple touch.

"Rick, this is Jane. Jane, this is my boyfriend, Rick," she murmured, giving Jane a nod as they stepped back into the apartment.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rick smile through his curiosity. "Nice to meet you, Jane."

"You too, Rick. Kate, I have a few calls to make about another property, so the two of you take your time and look around and come find me when you're ready."

She nodded in quiet thanks, turning back to her befuddled boyfriend.

"It's kind of a strange story," she started, taking a deep breath. "But as I was leaving the building down the street - which was for my case - I saw Jane with an open house sign. And I… asked to see the place. Just kind of on a whim."

She knew he was listening, but his eyes were wide and sweeping around the loft instead of focusing on her. "This is…"

"Yeah," she agreed, feeling her throat tighten. God, she wanted him to love the place. "Come on, come see."

Kate wiggled their joined hands to get him to face her once more, needing to see the wonder in his gaze. He nodded without missing a beat, his fingers warm in hers.

Together they made their way through the apartment. She made sure to repeat Jane's spiel, injecting her own thoughts when it seemed necessary, but for the most part, she was content to let him experience the loft the way she had while she took everything in with more critical eyes.

His fingers twitched in her grip as the tour came to an end. "Wow."

"I know," she murmured, smoothing her lips together. She wouldn't push; she was after his honest opinion, not what he thought she wanted to hear.

"What are they asking per month? It has to be insane."

She gave him the number. "I mean it's not cheap, and there are still utilities and things like that, but it's stabilized."

His brow furrowed. "You're kidding? This place?"

Kate shook her head, turning to face him. "No, not kidding. Previous tenant was rent controlled when he died," she explained, watching understanding dawn in his eyes. "So now it's open for applications, and I thought… but only if it's what you want, too."

Rick's fingers slipped down her arms, circling the bones in her wrists as he gathered his thoughts. "Kate -"

Her heart tripped, exhilaration making her bold, making her abandon her resolution to wait him out.

"It feels like home, doesn't it?" she asked, watching his face as he looked around again. She saw it then, the confirmation she needed; he was convinced, had been probably since they walked into what could be the office.

Still, it never hurt to make sure they were on the same page.

"Yeah, yeah it does. It does."

She nodded, lifting onto her toes, swiping her mouth across his.

"We're good candidates. I have a steady job, you have a steady job, and the books are selling well so we don't have to worry about income. If this is what we want, we should do it."

"We both have good credit, too. Right?" he asked, glancing up at her from under his lashes.

"Yeah, I do."

His head bobbed. "Me too. So we'll pass that test."

Kate nodded in agreement. "And I know there will be other expenses, moving expenses, and we might end up paying termination fees for our leases, but… I think it's worth it to get this."

"Yeah it is. And maybe it'll be tight for a little while, but if the books pick up steam, we'll be even better off."

Cupping the back of his neck, she pressed her forehead to his temple. "When the books pick up steam, Rick. When."

He hummed, acknowledging her assurances. He was still so cautious, so damn scared to be hopeful, and she couldn't help but work to protect that part of his heart.

"Okay then, I think we should get started on our application, don't you?"

Relief rushed through her limbs, knocking her into him as he took a fierce kiss from her lips. Her lack of answer didn't seem to bother him much.

"I love this," he rumbled a moment later, releasing a ragged breath.

"Yeah?" Beckett breathed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

His forehead dropped to hers. "Absolutely. I can't believe you randomly found us an apartment, Kate."

Dizzying pride blossomed in her chest. Oh God, she had, hadn't she? She'd found a possibility, if nothing else. "I hope so."

Rick shook his head, dropping a kiss to her hairline. "No, you did it. The universe has spoken, and I trust the universe."

She'd known he would say that.

"Kay." He trusted the universe and she trusted him. Her lips skimmed his cheek, feeling the scrape of the stubble he hadn't bothered to shave after dropping the kids at school. "Let's do it."

* * *

As one week became two and then three, she found herself wondering if they should go back to the drawing board. If the universe had only been dangling something they couldn't have in their faces.

Despite being the first application received, they were still waiting to hear back about the loft. Jane had warned them that the building super wouldn't make a decision until at least a few others came in, but actually waiting to find out was awful. How many applications would they need to see before picking the right one?

Even if it was a no, she just wanted to hear _something_. It was driving her insane not knowing, and judging by the way her boyfriend twitched every single time the phone rang, he shared her feelings.

Either way, they needed to know something soon. Rick's lease would be up at the beginning of April and hers soon after in mid-May, and they would need to give the landlord notice soon if they were leaving. Of course, they had a few options for staying where they were if it didn't work out with the apartment, but none of them were ideal, especially not with Alexis growing and the twins stretching their boundaries more and more each day. They could make it work, of course, but Kate knew she was holding out for the dream loft in SoHo.

"Why haven't they called?" she grumbled, not for the first time in the last three weeks, dropping her forehead to Rick's shoulder.

The man underneath her chuckled, pausing the movie on his laptop. "Jane did say it could be a little bit."

"Don't be reasonable with me. That's my job."

Rick laughed again, slipping his fingers into her hair, using the gentle grip to tilt her chin upward. She hummed, leaning into the kiss he offered. "Sorry, honey. Let me try again."

Kate nipped his lip, shaking her head. "No, no. Don't. Kiss me instead. Better use of your mouth."

He grinned, moving the computer to the side. "Wasn't really watching that anyway."

Truthfully, she hadn't been either. And he would be a much better source of distraction than her worries.

Kate pressed closer, skimming another kiss over his mouth on her way to nuzzle his neck. His answering hum vibrated across her lips, encouraging her to slip lower.

So, of course, her phone took the opportunity to rattle on the coffee table, stilling her movements.

"Oh for - what part of 'not on call' tonight is hard to understand?" Grappling for the offending piece of technology, she lifted the phone to her ear and barked her name.

"Kate? It's Jane."

Her stomach dropped. Smooth, Beckett. Yelling at the realtor.

"Jane? Hi, sorry, I thought you were work. Hi. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. I am sorry to call so late, I know you have small kids at home."

"No," she assured, leaning into Rick's soothing presses. "You're okay. You didn't wake anyone."

"Oh good, that's good. Anyway, I won't keep you long, I just wanted to let you know that I just heard back from the super at the Broome property, and if you're still interested, it's yours pending a meeting and signing your lease. They've accepted your application."

"They did?" she squeaked, lifting half off the couch in her surprise. Rick followed her, slipping a steadying hand around her waist. "What did they say? When do they want to meet? When would the least start?"

Rick's fingers curled around hers, easing the phone away from her ear so he could hear as well.

Jane rattled off the details of their approval, suggesting a meeting within the next few days to make sure everything went smoothly.

"Congratulations," the realtor added a moment later. "I could tell the loft was special to you when you saw it."

Beside her, Rick nodded. "Thanks, Jane. Should we set up the meeting ourselves? Or is that something you take care of?"

"I can get the meeting set up for you; I just need you guys to tell me when you're free. I'll also give you their information before we hang up in case you have any questions you want to direct their way instead."

"Thanks," Kate breathed, pressing her face against Rick's shoulder.

Holy shit, it was really happening. They had a place to live.

Shit. They had a place to live and now they had to figure out how to get out of their current leases without losing their shirts.

"Actually, if you grab a pen and some paper, I can give you the information now and then we can talk dates."

Sensing her rising panic, Rick's fingers curled around her knee. "Let me just grab my computer and we'll be set."

They moved as one when he reached for his laptop and opened a blank document.

"Okay, ready when you are."

Rick's fingers slid over the keyboard, getting their new landlord's name and information before repeating it back.

"That's all correct," Jane said, sounding just as upbeat as ever. "As for meeting dates, what do your Tuesdays look like?"

Rick answered first, giving Kate a moment to gather her thoughts. "I'm open after eight thirty."

"I can ask Montgomery for the morning off. Or switch shifts with someone," she murmured into his arm. He nodded, dropping a kiss against her hair.

"We're both good for Tuesday morning," she added for Jane's benefit.

"Great! I'll get that set up ASAP and get back to you if it looks like that won't work."

"Sounds great," Rick answered, looking a little silly with joy. "Thanks, Jane."

"You're welcome, Rick. Is there anything else I can answer for you? Either of you?"

Meeting her boyfriend's eyes, Beckett shook her head. "Nothing for me."

"Me either," he agreed, squeezing her knee.

"Okay then. Thanks Rick, Kate. Congratulations again. Have a good night."

"You too," they echoed together, slumping back against the cushions as the call ended.

"So," Rick started a moment later, leaning over and putting his computer aside. "Tell the kids in the morning?"

Kate nodded, scooting closer once he was settled again. "Good plan. Alexis is the only one who'll understand. Plus, that'll give us more time to figure out logistics."

He nodded, humming low in his throat. "Forget the tedious things for a few; we'll handle them. Because guess what?"

Pressing her cheek to his shoulder, she felt her lips lift. She had a feeling she knew where he was going. "Mmm, what?"

"We're moving in together."

Giddiness rose in her chest, slamming her heart against her ribs. "We are. No more splitting time between apartments."

"One home," he murmured. "Though, now you're stuck putting up with my mother's propensity for dropping by without calling first."

A chuckle spilled from her lips. "I think I can handle that. And you're stuck listening to Lanie coo over Alexis and the twins whenever she comes over."

He grinned, slipping his hand into her hair. "I think I can handle that. There's enough space for me to escape to another room. There's enough space for all of us."

"And your toys," she teased. Lifting her chin, she watched his face light up with his laughter.

"And my toys," Rick rumbled, brushing his thumb over the shell of her ear. "Which, you have to admit, are pretty cool."

Surging up, she halted the rest of his boast with the firm press of her mouth. He opened under her lips, welcoming the slide of her tongue over his own.

"Know what else is cool?" Beckett panted when they parted for air, arching into the wall of his chest, slipping her fingers into his hair to get closer still.

"What?" Their mouths parted, and he wasted no time sliding away to trace the curve of her jaw, the line of her neck. Her breath stuttered, her train of thought derailing entirely as his tongue traced what might have been their initials on her skin.

"Kate?" he prompted a moment later, his voice vibrating against her throat.

"Wha?" She blinked, tightening her fingers in his hair.

"You were saying something was cool?"

"Oh, right."

"What was it?" he asked, his breath puffing across her collar. Her body rolled against his, seeking more of his heat, more of his touch.

"Don't remember," she breathed, shivering in delight at the low rumble of his laugh.

His fingers tightened on her back. "I made you forget?"

Palming the back of his head, Kate nipped at his earlobe. "Mmm, don't be cocky about it."

"Not being cocky," he denied, releasing her long enough to lift her shirt over her head. His head dipped a moment later, mouth bumping her sternum. "Just wondering what else I can do to you."

Her heart thudded against his lips. He could do so much to her. More than he even knew.

"Just take me to bed, Rick," she murmured, pulling him up to seize his mouth once more. "Just take me to bed."

* * *

 _I say this every time, but thank you all for your support and your wonderful, sweet words. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	19. Chapter 19

**Take the Stairs - Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

Morning came far too soon.

It was their own fault, of course. They had been up packing until just after midnight, stopping only to give her apartment a special send off, similar to the one they had given his the night before.

He wouldn't have traded the quiet time with her for anything, not even an extra two hours of sleep, but suffice to say, he was paying for it.

Beside him, Kate didn't seem to be faring much better. She was typically the first up and out of bed, but today she grumbled her distaste for the clock on his nightstand, burrowing her face deeper into her pillow.

"S'too early for this."

"Tell me about it," Rick groaned, slapping a wild hand across the alarm, plunging the room back into blissful quiet.

Sinking deeper into the mattress, he reached for the woman at his side. Kate grunted, but didn't object, tugging his arm around her tighter and fitting her backside into the cradle of his hips instead.

It still stole his breath, how well they fit together. Even from that first night when they were nothing more than strangers seeking comfort in one another, they had fit. Since reuniting after so many months apart, they had only carved out a better fit for each other.

God, had it really been almost a year? Their anniversary was in just under a month.

"Hear you thinking," she murmured, lifting his hand and brushing her lips over his knuckles. "S'not sleeping."

"Sorry."

"Shh," she chided against his skin. "Just sleep."

Pressing his mouth to the back of her neck, Rick nodded. They could spare a few more minutes to rest, no matter what the worst piece of technology in the world had to say about it.

The next thing he knew, the woman of his dreams was straddling his waist and shaking him awake, talking far too fast for anyone who hadn't yet had coffee to understand.

"Your mom and my dad are here already, babe. We gotta get moving. We overslept."

Rick blinked. "We wha?"

"Someone turned off the alarm," she accused, pushing a slim finger into the center of his chest.

Right, he had done that. Had he done that? It was hazy.

"In my defense," he rumbled, catching her hand before she could poke him again, pulling her down for a lazy kiss. "I probably meant to hit snooze."

Her teeth caught his lip, and she silenced his grunt with the gentle salve of her tongue over the mark. "Yeah, well, now we're late."

His fingers slid over her hand, moving up her arm and cupping the ball of her shoulder to keep her from pulling away.

Kate huffed against his mouth, bracing a hand beside his head. "Three kids waiting, Rick. Two parents out there. Moving day. Get up, get up."

"Mhmm. Moving day. Finally."

Finally was right. It would've come sooner, but when they had asked about painting the kids' rooms and adding partitions to the space downstairs, the landlord had insisted upon doing it prior to them moving in, pushing everything back another three weeks.

They had only picked up the keys on Wednesday, and since then, they had been stealing a few minutes here and there to go over, taking small things when they could. But now the big day was finally, finally upon them.

In just a few hours, they would be living under one roof, in one apartment, for good.

"I love you," he breathed, letting the tender part of his heart take over.

Kate's lips curved against his. "I love you. But we're still late, and buttering me up won't change that. Up."

With that, she pulled away, leaving his lap and taking the bed covers with her.

Rick yelped. The early March air was _cold_ on his blanket-warmed skin.

"Sorry, baby, you gotta get up. Coffee's on your nightstand. Put your pants on, brush your teeth." Bundling the blankets in her arms, she rounded back to his side of the bed, leaning over for one more kiss. "No need to make yourself pretty, you're pretty enough."

His fingers slid along the back of her legging-clad thigh, landing on her ass a moment later. He couldn't help but touch her.

"You flatter me, honey."

She may have been rolling her eyes as she turned away and slipped out of their room, but she was also grinning.

As he padded to the en suite with the last of his unpacked clothing in his arms, he heard her relaying the plan (such as it was) to their parents.

Thanks to his mother, they had a small moving truck to work with for the day. It would take multiple trips to get their combined things to the loft, but it was probably the easiest approach for the move, given the constraints. If Jim had brought his car like Kate had mentioned he might, they would have another means of transporting the small items, but Rick had a feeling the grandparents would spend more time entertaining the babies than loading and unloading things.

Which was just as well, because he could hear the twins' nonsensical chatter from down the hall. Packing with toddlers had been interesting; half the time they had been willing to help toss things in boxes, the other half of the time they had taken everything out, one item at a time, declaring whatever it was theirs every time. Moving with them underfoot would be an interesting experience.

But they were so cute, he wouldn't have them any other way.

Not even little Anna, who had apparently taken it upon herself to come find him, barging into the bathroom and colliding with his knee just as his clean boxers made it over his hips.

"Dada! Hi!"

Rick chuckled, lowering a hand to cup his youngest daughter's head. "Hi squeaker. I see your Gram dressed you today."

In hot pink footless tights and a screaming multicolored floral dress, there was no doubt that his mother had taken it upon herself to choose Anna's outfit for the day.

"Did she give Eli the same treatment?"

Anna giggled, curling her fingertips against his leg. Ow, her nails were getting sharp again; too bad the baby nail clippers were already packed, otherwise he would take the opportunity to trim them right now.

"No."

He gasped. "No? Are you sure? Let me brush my teeth and finish putting my clothes on, and we'll see about that. I bet she brought all of you something bright to wear. Even Alexis."

Anna bobbed under his hand, making a lap around the small bathroom as soon as she squirmed away.

"Are you gonna wait for me?" he asked, watching in the mirror as she bent to inspect the spring on the door bumper.

"Ya! Up!"

"Up?"

She wiggled between his legs and the sink, lifting her arms expectantly. "Up up up."

"Up up up," he repeated, smearing a noisy kiss over her cheek as he shifted her onto his hip. "Good morning, beautiful. Are you going to help me brush my teeth?"

Anna grinned, showing off her own pearly whites with pride. Little ham. She had so much of his mother in her; it was almost scary.

"I see your good looking teeth, baby girl. Will you hold my brush so I can put toothpaste on it and make my teeth as nice as yours?"

Dutifully, she offered him her hand, grasping the handle of his toothbrush and keeping it steady while he added the toothpaste.

"Thank you, Anna. You're a great helper."

So great, she offered to shove the toothbrush into his mouth as well. Jostling her, Rick managed to wrestle the brush away long enough to keep his molars.

"Yeth, thandks," he murmured, watching her eyes brighten in delight at his mangled words. Laughter bubbled from her lips and she bounced against his forearm.

"Mo'!"

"Mowre? You wabt mowre?" he asked around the brush, tightening his grip to keep his daughter from toppling backward with the force of her cackles. "You're silby. Anna's silby."

She giggled once more, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"Silby Anna," he teased, scrubbing the brush over his teeth. It wasn't the most efficient way to get ready, but he wasn't going to send her away if she wanted to cuddle.

Once his mouth was clean and rinsed, he kissed her temple. "Okay, silly Anna, time for me to put clothes on before Mommy comes to find us."

"Too late," Kate drawled from the doorway, offering him a lopsided, affectionate smile. "Anna, baby, come see me. Daddy needs to put his pants on, and Grandpa is looking for you."

"Otay," Anna chirped, pressing a slobbery kiss to his cheek before reaching for her mother. "Hi!"

Kate laughed, light and airy, dropping a kiss on Anna's cheek first, then Rick's.

"Sorry," he murmured, palming Kate's hip. "She wanted to snuggle. She also wanted to laugh at me."

"Mhmm," Kate hummed, rubbing her nose over his. "You do sound silly when you talk with the toothbrush in your mouth."

"Yeah, yeah." Bumping her a kiss to her mouth, he shoos her away. "I'm getting changed, I swear."

Kate's lips lifted under his. "It'll be worth it once we're home. Then you can strip down again," she added, tracing a finger over his collarbone and down his chest before hooking in the waistband of his boxers.

"Oh, I plan to," he promised, wiggling his eyebrows. "So many spots to christen."

"Don't dawdle then," she ordered, snapping his waistband against his skin and stepping back into the bedroom. "I'm going to finish packing up the kitchen."

"Kay." He watched her hips sway as she walked away.

An hour later, it had become clear that moving with toddlers was not going to work.

Especially not when Alexis trailed behind them, giving him orders and criticizing his process. According to her, he had hidden her box of favorite toys, had loaded her bedroom furniture into the truck wrong, and was in danger of forgetting everything else.

After the fifth time he nearly tripped over Anna and Alexis, he held up a hand to Kate, pulling her into the kitchen to talk.

Her brow furrowed. "What? What's wrong?"

"What ah, what do you think about sending the kids to the park with our parents and taking care of this stuff ourselves?"

"I - we can do that, I guess? Why?"

"Because -"

"Daddy, did you already get my coats? We can't forget them."

Kate's eyes widened. "Ah. Yeah, yeah let's let the grandparents distract them somewhere else."

She turned, reaching out for Alexis. "Daddy got them, honey. Now, what do you think about going to the park with your gram and my dad?"

Alexis looked torn. "What about moving?"

He watched his girlfriend cup his oldest daughter's cheeks. "We'll take care of it, sweetheart. I think you and the twins should go to the park and play. Isn't that more fun than worrying about everything here?"

"Well," Alexis hedged, shifting her weight. "But I helped when Daddy and I moved here."

"I know, sweetheart," she murmured, kissing Alexis's forehead. "And you did great. But Daddy and I can handle this move. We want you to relax this time because you did so great last time."

"Oh."

"And then," Kate continued, pushing the girl's hair off her cheek, "once we're in the new house, you can be in charge of helping us set things up. How does that sound?"

Alexis brightened at that. "Sounds great, Kate."

"Perfect. Will you help me get the twins ready to go while Daddy talks to Gram?"

"Kay!" She didn't waste another second before scampering back to the twins.

Catching Kate's waist, he pressed a thank you to her mouth. "I'll talk to the grandparents."

Just a few minutes later, the twins and Alexis were on their way to spend a few hours at the park. As soon as the elevator closed behind them, Kate exhaled, bumping her head against his arm.

"Okay, what first?"

He pretended to think. "We could make out?"

"You did not send your kids off so we can make out."

"You make it sound so self-serving," he teased, tugging her back into the apartment.

Kate laughed, curling her fingers around his hand.

"Well isn't it?"

He gasped, feigning insult. "I was merely suggesting it as a means of passing the time until we decide the best course of action."

Her lips connected with his chin. "Maybe another time. We actually do have stuff to do. Since we've already started with small stuff and the kids' furniture, let's keep going with things like that. Then we can deal with the larger stuff on a second trip."

"Kay. One place at a time?"

"Probably easier to do it that way; we can get as much as we can from one before moving onto the other."

Yeah, that made sense. There was no reason to run back and forth between places if they didn't have to.

"Okay, sounds good."

"Kay," she agreed, stealing a kiss before darting away. "Get moving. Maybe if we're lucky we can break for a late lunch."

He mock saluted. "Aye aye, captain."

He had to admit, they made good progress once they put their heads down and got to work. They had managed to grab a dolly from a storage closet on the ground floor, doubling the amount of cargo they were able to take downstairs each time, and it wasn't long before Kate's apartment was empty, save for the large furniture and a few straggler items they would get on the next load with the things from his place.

"Is there anything else you want to try to fit in there before we take this load over?"

Kate looked around once, shaking her head a moment later. "We're pretty loaded down as it is. Who knew we were cramming this much stuff into this one apartment?"

She was trying to sound nonchalant, but he could hear the strain in the joke. As soon as they had returned to stand in her nearly barren living room, he had seen the tension in her shoulders.

Lifting a hand, he stroked the line of her back.

"That's what I said when Alexis and I moved out of our last place. Babies come with so much stuff," he murmured, squeezing the back of her neck. "Even elementary school ones."

She huffed a laugh, leaning her head against his arm. "Yeah they do. I'm surprised anything of ours even got on the truck this time."

"Me too." Pressing his lips to her temple, he considered the wisdom in asking if she needed a minute.

Kate's hand covered his. "I'm okay," she answered, somehow reading his mind anyway. "Let's go take this stuff."

"You sure? I can make this trip on my own if you want to stay."

Kate shook her head. "It'll take you forever to unload on your own, even with the dolly. I'm fine, Rick."

He didn't quite believe that, but he let it go. He would give her some time to herself once their apartments were empty.

"In that case, let's go."

She squeezed his hand, stepping closer to lift the keys from his pocket. "I'm driving."

* * *

Imagine his surprise when, after their second trip to the loft, they returned to find Kate's partners leaning against the door to their building.

Casting a quizzical look in his girlfriend's direction, he found her offering a lopsided smile and a lifted shoulder.

"I called while you were in the bathroom. They're gonna help with the big stuff so you don't break your back on me."

Any other time he might put up a protest and insist he can do it on his own, but his back had already started to twinge with the strain of all the bending and lifting. Assistance would be greatly appreciated.

"What do we owe them?"

Kate lifted a shoulder. "Case of beer and a couple pizzas. They're easy. Lanie's at work, but she said she might stop by later to help unpack."

"Or to play with the kids," he added, knowing the other woman looked for excuses to see their kids. They really needed to take her up on her offer to babysit more often.

"Or that." Kate laughed. "It will keep them occupied while we unpack, if nothing else."

"Mmm, true."

She grinned, patting his hand. "Come on, let's get this done. Don't think I didn't hear your stomach when I mentioned pizza."

"Well, can you blame me? Breakfast was hours ago, Kate. And I've been doing a lot of manly, calorie intensive work here."

"I know you have," she drawled, bussing his cheek. "And I'm very impressed. I'm also confident you won't waste away."

"You mock," he said, sliding out of the cab of the truck and waiting for her to do the same, "but I think you'd be fairly disappointed if that were to happen."

Kate laughed, but otherwise didn't dignify his statement with a response. Instead, she stepped onto the curb, greeting her team with an easy smile.

"Hey, guys. Thanks for doing this. I thought we would have our parents to help, but the kids were all over the place so my dad and Martha took them to the park and then to lunch."

Esposito nodded in her direction before nodding to Rick. "No problem, Beckett. You said the magic words."

"Free food?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Esposito lifted a shoulder, nodding in Rick's direction. "Beer, too. We've heard about your boy's taste; he won't give us the cheap stuff."

He laughed, shaking Kevin Ryan's hand before unlocking the door and gesturing for the three of them to precede him inside.

"Who says Rick's buying? Maybe I am, and just for that I'll pick the cheapest they have."

"You won't."

"Yeah, how do you know that?"

Rick watched her smile deepen, delighting in the mirth sparkling in her eyes as they waited for the elevator. Once they were in the car, she settled beside him, bumping their elbows together.

From the opposite wall, Esposito lifted his chin in defiance. "Cause you'll be drinking it, too, Beckett. Duh."

The four of them chuckled. "He's got you there, boss," Ryan added, rubbing his hands together. "So how much are we talking?"

"Beer?"

"Furniture. Is everything going to fit in the truck to make one trip?"

Kate's lips pursed. "Ah, I think so? The couches, our desks, the bedroom furniture…"

The guys groaned. "Two beds?"

"Well, kinda. We're not going to set things up like Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. I'm donating mine, I just haven't found a place to take it yet. So we'll move both to the loft, but only reassemble Rick's bed. And both dressers have to go. I do need clothes, too."

"Says who?" Rick rumbled, catching the hand that swatted at his chest. "I wouldn't complain."

"Of course not," she sighed, turning her attention back to her colleagues. "But the rest of the world may beg to differ, so yeah, both dressers, too."

The guys nodded. "The rest of the world thanks you. Save that view for lover boy."

"And we've already taken the clothing boxes over, so the dressers are empty. You're welcome, again."

Rick grinned, happy to stay silent and simply observe the comfort and ease between the three of them. He could see how they would work well together. There was teasing and banter, but enough respect to know where the line was and how to stay on the right side of it. They even moved as a unit exiting the elevator, Beckett in front, the other detectives behind her, following her lead.

And he fit right into the mix, claiming the spot at her side to turn their trio into a quad.

"Okay," she announced, unlocking the doors to both apartments and stepping into the stretch of hallway between them. "You guys want to pick one, we'll take the other?"

The guys nodded. "We can do that. We'll get your place?"

Kate nodded, nudging Rick toward his open door. "Yeah, that's good. There are moving straps and blankets on the floor in the living room if you need them."

"On it, boss."

She smiled over her shoulder, flattening her palm against Rick's back.

"That was a good call," he murmured, letting her usher him into his place. "Bringing in reinforcements, I mean."

"Thanks. I should've done it earlier, but everything's been so crazy, it slipped my mind."

"Moving will do that to you. Did I tell you I almost left half the kitchen at my last place?"

Kate laughed, shaking her head. "No, that must have slipped _your_ mind when you were volunteering to pack the kitchen this time."

Her elbow nudged his, the tease obvious.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I packed everything, but somehow left an entire cabinet of plates, bowls, and cups, and a drawer of silverware and cooking spoons. Found it all on the final walk-through before giving back my key."

His girlfriend hummed, pressing her nose to his shoulder. "We'll make sure we don't forget anything. I'd hate for that Batman bowl you love so much to get left behind."

"Don't think I didn't see you eating your boring bran flakes out of it the other day, Kate. That bowl is awesome and you know it."

"Can't prove it," she singsonged, slipping her hand over his side and tugging at his shirt. "No evidence."

"I'll dust for fingerprints later."

Kate shook her head. "Won't work. I unloaded the dishwasher. That would explain any prints you might find."

"Don't go all detective on me," he muttered, catching her silly grin before she could hide it against his shirt. "Though, I will say it is sexy when you do."

"Of course you will. Okay, grab a snack, and we'll start lugging things downstairs. Maybe we can beat the boys to the elevator."

Twenty minutes later, they were racing down the hall, trying with everything they had to balance the couch in their arms and be the first ones to hit the call button. Behind them, Ryan and Esposito groaned.

"That is so not fair," they muttered. "We were out of your place first, Beckett."

From the opposite end of the couch, Kate shrugged. "Shoulda put more hustle into it, boys. We won fair and square."

"We didn't know we were racing!" Ryan added, insistent. "Next time we're going to crush you guys."

Rick snickered. Never tell Kate Beckett that. They had competitions for everything in their house.

His girlfriend's eyebrow lifted. "You think that? You really think that?"

"Don't just think it, Beckett. Know it." Esposito straightened.

Oh, Esposito. Rick just knew that cockiness was going to backfire on the poor guy; he and Kate were seriously going to wipe the floor with them.

"First team to empty the apartment wins?" he suggested, shifting the couch's weight onto one hand and a knee, offering his other to Ryan to make the wager binding.

"Loser has to reassemble all the beds," Kate added, grinning over the cushions. "Have fun with that, boys."

With that, she took a step onto the elevator, ducking as far into the back corner as she could to make room for the unwieldy piece of furniture they were carting.

The piece of furniture he had been fighting to move on his own when he blocked her from getting onto the elevator that day.

Oh, he loved this couch. Not as much as he loved the woman on the other end, but it absolutely held a special place in his heart.

* * *

"Hey, sleeping beauty," Kate murmured hours later, brushing soft fingers through his hair to get his attention. "Brought you something."

He hadn't been sleeping, not really. He could still hear the chatter in the loft; Kate's partners bickering over which screw to use in which part of the bedframe, Lanie and his mother entertaining the kids, even the hum of Jim and Kate's quiet discussion from the kitchen.

He'd just needed to rest his eyes a little bit. And his back.

Still, he opened his eyes for her, meeting her gentle, affectionate gaze with a smile of his own. "Mmm, hey."

"Hey," she chuckled. "I come bearing gifts for you; painkillers and a heating pad."

"Knew I loved you for a reason."

One eyebrow arched.

"Many reasons," he amended, popping the capsules into his mouth and downing them with a swig from his water bottle. Kate hummed in approval, pressing her forehead to his.

"Good answer. I ordered the pizza a few minutes ago. It should be here soon."

Her fingers brushed the curve of his jaw, drifting down and over the pulse in his neck, pulling a contented hum from low in his throat.

"S'good."

"Yeah it is," she agreed, touching her lips to his cheek before straightening. "The guys are almost done assembling everything, too. We won't be sleeping on the floor tonight."

While Ryan and Esposito hadn't been particularly graceful in accepting defeat, they hadn't shied away from fulfilling their end of the bargain. He was glad he had sprung for the good beer for them.

"They might be my heroes," Rick said, groaning with the effort that it took to sit up.

Kate laughed, slipping the heating pad behind his back in lieu of reminding him that she had told him not to bend that way just to win their bet.

"Don't tell them that; it'll go to their heads."

"Yeah, probably," he agreed, his lips twisting into a grin. "What can I do from here?"

"Mmm, brace yourself. Eli's incoming."

No sooner had she finished her warning than their little boy came crashing into his legs. Eli chortled at the impact, pulling himself up and into Rick's lap.

He hummed, wrapping his arms around his son. "Hi, squirmy. Are you having fun?"

The boy wiggled closer, digging his bony knees into the meat of Rick's thighs. Grunting, Rick helped him stand, covering his rosy cheeks with noisy kisses.

"I hear you laughing with your sisters over there; it sounds like you're having fun."

Eli grinned, palming his father's face. "Ya. Caw!"

"And you have _another_ new toy. Aunt Lanie's spoiling you again."

Kate's friend snorted, brushing a hand over Anna's hair. "Like you don't, Castle."

His denial was lost beneath the hand Eli slapped over his mouth. His son giggled in delight, and Rick made sure to tickle his palm when he pulled his fingers away.

"I don't spoil," he added, ignoring his girlfriend's quiet scoff from the other end of the room. "I just love. Profusely. Sometimes with stuffed animals."

"And clothes. And walkers. And block sets and baby computers," Kate teased, deconstructing an empty box. "Lanie, do you know how many times he's tried to sneak stuff into the bottom of their toy box, thinking I wouldn't notice?"

"I rest my case," Lanie crowed, settling Anna in her lap and taking the bottle of nail polish and a small bag from Alexis. "Now, Miss Anna, let's paint your nails. Your big sister picked a fabulous color for you."

"Lanie -" Kate warned, taking the words out of his mouth.

Lanie held up a hand. "This brand is safe for little ones, non-toxic. I bought it special for her. And to be safe, Alexis is going to help me keep her from putting her fingers in her mouth, aren't you?"

"Uh huh!" Alexis beamed. "And then we can do mine, right Lanie?"

The older woman winked. "Of course. Do you want to match your sister?"

Rick watched his daughter nod. "Yes please."

"Then that's what we'll do. Two manicures with the Piggy Paint, coming right up."

"Hey Lanie," Rick called, smoothing Eli's shirt down over his belly. "Think I can convince you to trim her nails first? They're pretty sharp right now."

"Depends." She smirked.

"On?" Rick asked. One eyebrow lifted.

"A glass of wine appearing on that table in the next five minutes?" Lanie offered him a toothy grin, opening the cosmetics bag in front of her and retrieving a nail file.

Rick hummed, shifting Eli and getting to his feet. His back pulled with the movement, but the combination of heat and medication had already taken the edge off the pain.

"Come on, son. Let's get Aunt Lanie some wine. Assuming Gram hasn't polished it off already," he added, stopping on the way to the kitchen to kiss his mother on the cheek.

"It's a blessing that you've found your calling as a writer, Richard, because as a comedian, you need better material."

He grinned, taking her glass to refill. Call it a peace offering.

"Don't listen to her, Eli. You know I'm the funniest guy around."

"Funny looking," Kate teased, stepping beside him and yanking the cork from a half-empty bottle of Malbec.

Bumping her out of the way, he slipped the bottle from her hand to pour both glasses. "Show you funny looking. You like my faces. _All_ of my faces"

To his credit, he didn't jump when her fingers tripped along his sides and she stepped close enough to fit her chest to his back.

"I hope to see a few of your _faces_ after everyone's gone and the kids are in bed," she whispered, pressing her lips to the sensitive patch of skin behind his ear.

A shiver rolled up his spine, anticipation pooling in his belly. "Mhmm, count on it."

* * *

 _Thank you to everyone for your support, your kind words, and your endless enthusiasm for this story. _Just one more chapter to go!__


	20. Chapter 20

**Take the Stairs - Chapter Twenty**

* * *

One of the downsides of moving – besides the stress, the difficulty finding anything in a sea of boxes, and the bone-deep aches and pains, of course – was establishing a new running route.

Her route in their old neighborhood at been tried and true; she had run it as often as possible both before getting pregnant and after the twins were born, and she knew it like the back of her hand. Here, it became painfully obvious when she stepped onto the sidewalk that she would have to think about each turn, and would have to consider a route that would allow her to avoid as much of the SoHo congestion as possible.

She would break out a map before her next run and actually plan where she wanted to go, but for now she decided to head toward the familiarity of the old neighborhood. It was out of her way, but it would get the job done this time.

It took a few minutes, and required dodging other pedestrians and orange construction barriers, but she was able to find a good pace, a steady rhythm that matched the beat from her headphones. By the time she reached Gramercy Park, the sun was beginning to crest over the taller of the surrounding buildings, glinting off the high windows and making her wish she had remembered to retrieve her sunglasses from the pile of dress-up clothes her daughter had tossed them into in last night after she made it home from work. She would be fine without them, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to not have to shield her eyes with her hand. Instead, she changed course, putting her back to the sun and pushing herself a little harder.

An hour later, she was starting to feel the workout. She had practically walked the final half-mile, but her legs trembled from the sprint she had indulged in once she had spotted the loft from down the block. She took a moment to lean against the rough brick of the building before fishing her key out of her bra and making her way inside. Her shoes squeaked against the marble tile, and the older man at the security desk looked up, ready to offer her assistance.

Eduardo smiled, relaxing his stance when he saw who was walking through the lobby.

"Welcome back, Ms. Beckett. Have a good run?"

Wiping a hand across her sweaty forehead, Kate gave an easy nod. "Not too bad, Eduardo. It was a good way to explore the neighborhood."

"I bet. And the weather was good for you, too. You picked the right morning to get out."

"That it was. I don't think I would've been able to make myself go if it had been rainy like last weekend."

Thankfully, the rain had blown through mid-week, leaving only clear skies predicted for the near future. It was still early enough in the day that the chill of the night hadn't yet dissipated, and though the breeze had raised goosebumps on her sweaty skin once in a while, she had been comfortable as she ran.

Eduardo nodded. "I understand that. How are you settling in? How are the children settling in?"

Kate smiled. "It's been strange for everyone, being in a new place, but I think we're getting there. Hopefully the little ones will start sleeping through the night again soon."

For all of their sakes, she hoped so.

Eduardo smiled. "Hopefully. They could be at one of those ages, too."

Oh, they were. They definitely were. Rick had looked it up the first night, almost two weeks ago, when Eli had woken the entire house with his screech. Within minutes, Anna had followed, and they had walked the floor with them until their little bodies finally succumbed to their exhaustion. The same thing had happened nearly every night after that. The twins weren't in pain as far as anyone could tell, so unless things got worse, they were determined to just ride it out, but it didn't make it suck any less.

"I remember going through something similar with my daughter when she was their age. She was a handful, and there was only one of her."

"God help us all," she joked, shifting her weight to ease the cramp she could feel building in her hip.

She liked Eduardo. She liked that he had taken the time to learn her name and Rick's, but hadn't blinked an eye when her boyfriend had spoken to him about preserving their kids' privacy. It had even been the doorman's idea to create a list of visitors who were approved to take the children from the building.

But as much as she liked the man and appreciated his commitment to discretion, she wanted to get upstairs and into the shower to rinse the salty remnants of sweat from her skin.

The doorman offered her another smile. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Kate smiled, pushing a piece of hair behind her ears. "Thanks. We'll probably see you in a little bit. I think Rick wanted to walk around this afternoon."

Eduardo nodded once again. "If you're interested, there's the Manhattan Children's Theater on White. My grandkids are four and two, and they love it there. I think they're doing _The Three Little Pigs_ this month."

"Oh, I think the kids would love that, too. Assuming they can sit still that long." They both chuckled. "Either way, I'll mention it. If nothing else, it'll be good to keep that in our pocket for when they're older. Thank you."

"Any time, Ms. Beckett." Eduardo returned to his work, giving her the chance to slip to the elevator and make her way upstairs without feeling rude.

The elevator wall was cool against her back, and Kate felt the last of the tension in her shoulders melt away. Maybe if she was lucky, she would be able to entice Rick out of their bed and have him join her in a steamy shower before everyone woke up.

Of course, that dream only lasted from the elevator to her front door, because as soon as she stepped into the loft, she heard the hum of quiet chatter coming from her bedroom. One of the kids was awake.

Or all three of them, she found out soon enough.

Four innocent (okay, mostly innocent) faces lifted as she came padding into the room.

"Hey," Rick greeted, casting a conspiratorial glance at his three companions. "You want in on this?"

"Is there room?" Kate teased, lowering herself into the armchair across from her boyfriend's side of the bed to loosen the laces on her shoes. Every muscle in her body wanted to crawl in with them, to enjoy the soft moment with four of the most important people in her life, but she couldn't. Not yet.

"Always," he rumbled, cupping the back of Eli's head when he exhaled. "And if not, we can squish."

"Mmm, true. I'll take you up on that in a sec. I need to shower first. Otherwise I'll make everyone stinky," she added, winking at Alexis. The girl giggled, her cheek smashed against Kate's pillow.

Rick's lips lifted. "Yes, absolutely. No stink here; to the shower with you."

Narrowing her eyes, Kate stood. "For that, I should climb in right now."

" _Noo_ ," he argued on a whine, tickling a finger across Anna's side. "Tell Mommy to take a bath before we all end up needing one."

Anna squealed, rolling away from her father's wiggling fingers. But Rick wasn't to be deterred, instead his fingers curled deeper against her sides, creeping into her armpits as well.

Not to be left out – or to let his sister down – Eli squirmed across the barrel of his father's chest, offering himself up to the tickle monster as well.

"Careful," Kate warned, leaning over to scoop her shoes off the floor. She would deposit them back on her side of the closet on her way into the shower. "Nobody needs to laugh so hard they vomit, Rick."

"I _guess_ ," her boyfriend drawled, his eyes sparkling with unfettered mischief.

She pretended not to notice the lazy way his eyes trailed over her body, taking in her sweat-darkened running shirt and the crops she couldn't deny made her ass look fabulous. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and cocked her head to the side, one eyebrow moving upward.

"Puke in your bed sheets, Castle. Puke in your bed sheets."

"Touché." He turned his attention on Alexis. "Well, pumpkin, that means you're the tickle monster's next victim."

Alexis's squeal bounced over the walls as Kate made her escape into the bathroom.

The quiet was the first thing she noticed when she emerged from the shower. Whatever early morning energy they had summoned seemed to have disappeared, and the four of them had settled back in their original spots – Alexis and Anna taking up Kate's side, Eli cuddled against Rick's chest.

As soon as she padded into the bedroom, Rick's eyes slid open, pinning her with a look so tender, her heart stuttered against her ribs. Her fingers fumbled with her cell phone, eager to snap a photo and capture their peace before she let herself join them.

Instead of displacing anyone, she slid her knee onto the bed and crawled into the center, resting her cheek on Rick's blanket-covered thigh.

Gentle fingers slipped over her temple, pushing her wet hair away from her face. A contented hum rose in her throat, popping the bubble of tranquility they had created. Rick chuckled, pressing sure fingertips against her skin, repeating the motion until the lingering throb in her head had started to abate.

"Good run?" he asked after a while, slipping his fingers into her hair to concentrate the massage on her scalp.

"Mmm, not great. Not terrible. It felt good to get out there again. Gonna have to get a better route, though; I ended up running to our old place and back."

He hummed, letting her know he was listening, even if he didn't have anything to add.

"Saw Mrs. Lewis with her new puppy. She lamented the loss of her summer dog sitter."

Rick chuckled, his body shaking under her.

"Don't tell Alexis; she loved getting paid to pet a dog for a few hours a day. If we're not careful, she'll make us take her back so she can do it anyway."

"Just ask Eduardo if he knows anyone in this building who needs the help. The commute's a little easier."

"Oh, good idea."

"Mhmm," she agreed, settling a little more firmly against him.

A few minutes later, his fingers paused, and she lifted her eyes to find him easing Eli onto the mattress beside him. Their son murmured, but otherwise didn't wake. A quick glance at Anna told Kate that she had drifted off, too, her tiny hand clasped around her sister's.

"C'mere," Rick hummed. "Made room for you."

Lips quirking, Kate moved up the bed. Rick took a moment to squirm the kinks from his legs before motioning for her to settle her head on his chest, returning his hand to her hair once they were both comfortable.

"Gonna put me to sleep," she mumbled, burying her nose against the cotton of his shirt.

His cheek brushed the top of her head. "Coulda been asleep this whole time, but _somebody_ just _had_ to go exercise."

"Yeah, remember that outrage the next time you ogle my legs."

He grinned, craning his neck to nuzzle her forehead. "I do love your legs."

"Yeah, I thought so. So no complaining, buddy."

His lips curled against her skin. "Never. Shut your eyes, Kate. I'll make breakfast when you wake up."

"Mhmm," she hummed, draping her arm over his belly to keep him close. "Spoiling me. Or buttering me up – which is it?"

Whatever response he had for her was lost as she gave into the easy lull of slumber.

She emerged from the cocoon of sleep some time later to find herself alone in the bed, her head on Rick's pillow and the covers pulled up to her chest. Since nobody was crying, shouting, or calling for her, she was content to roll onto her side to watch the golden trails of sun flit through the blinds.

She might have to convince Rick to get curtains when they were out exploring. He had wanted to shop around a little more, but being able to make their bedroom darker would be helpful for sleeping in after his book launch party next week.

After all, it was their anniversary and her father was taking the kids; they deserved to be able to sleep past sunrise if they wanted.

Of course, if they _didn't_ want to sleep in, there were always ways to pass the time. Delicious, exhilarating ways.

Kate licked her lips, her toes curling in anticipation. Yeah, next week would be good for them; she would make sure of it.

"Kate?"

It was a careful whisper, and she turned to find Alexis leaning into her bedroom, looking hopeful.

Kate leaned her cheek on the pillow, holding out an arm to her. "Hey, bud. Morning again. I didn't find out who won the tickle fight earlier."

The little girl grinned. "Morning. Me! I won!"

"You did, huh?"

Alexis nodded, her chest puffing. "I used the move you showed me. Remember it? I bounced away and went for his feet. Daddy didn't stand a chance."

Kate grinned, wiggling her fingers. "Atta girl. C'mere, come sit with me. Tell me how you slept and what else do we need to do to your room to make it more comfortable for you."

The girl stepped back, thrashing her head from side to side. "Can I tell you later? I gotta tell Daddy you're 'wake now. He said ta check."

Right, Rick had said he would cook when she woke up.

"It's the next phase of the plan!" Alexis added, scampering back into the living room, leaving Kate to stare at the space she had occupied with furrowed brows.

 _Plan?_

"Daddy, she's awake!"

She didn't have to be in the room to know Alexis was bounding to her father's side. Nor did she have to be there to see Rick's tender eyes and lopsided grin.

"She is? Good. Excellent scout work, pumpkin."

"And don't worry, Dad. I didn't say anything."

Kate's eyes narrowed. What were they conspiring to do?

Rick knew how she felt about most surprises, but she would let them have this one. It couldn't be _too_ absurd if he had brought the kids in on it, and the mattress under her body just felt too good to throw back the covers and march into the kitchen to find out what was going on.

"Perfect. And here is your reward for your hard work: the Stirring Spoon of Mightiness. Commence phase two."

After that, conversation gave way to giggles, hums, and the clatter and clang of cooking. A few minutes later, she heard the sizzle of bacon, and the buttery sweet scent of pancakes curled under her nostrils. Whatever it was they were up to, it sounded like they were preparing a feast to accompany it.

Her stomach rumbled a loud, almost mournful sound in her quiet room and a laugh puffed from her lips without her permission. Apparently, she was more than a little hungry.

Finally, the commotion ceased and she heard Rick doling out instructions once more. The twins were in charge of something – hopefully not the food unless he was helping them – and Alexis had apparently claimed carrying the coffee as her task.

She waited to sit up until the twins cleared the threshold, giving them the opportunity to feel like they had surprised her.

Their eyes lit up the moment they saw she was awake.

"Mama!"

"Hi peanuts," she murmured, reaching out to help lift them onto the bed when they were close enough. Eli accepted her assistance, wiggling beside her as soon as his knees touched the comforter, but Anna grunted a no and continued climbing on her own.

"Okay then, you do it yourself." Kate left her hand close to the edge just in case she needed to catch her.

By the time Alexis and Rick came padding into the bedroom, the twins were happy and settled at her hip and in the space between her bent knees.

"Hey there, chefs," Kate greeted, leaning over to take the steaming mug of coffee from Alexis's hands before it could slosh over the rim. "I don't know what you have on that tray, but it smells delicious and I am starving."

"In that case you are in luck, because voila." Rick settled the tray in front of her, brushing a hand over Anna's hair before squirming onto the mattress beside her and pulling Eli into his lap. "Also there's a lot, so we're going to help you eat it."

Her lips twisted into a grin. "Very selfless of you."

"I know, isn't it?"

Kate rolled her eyes, looking to Alexis. "Daddy's so modest, isn't he?"

The girl gave a sage nod. "The modestest."

Rick huffed at the made up word, lifting the first plate to serve their breakfast.

Alexis giggled, bumping her cheek against her father's arm. "We're just playing, Daddy."

He paused to smack a kiss on her forehead. "I know pumpkin. I am, too. Now, would you like some bacon before I take it all?"

"You better not," Kate muttered just as Alexis said the same. "One, that's not even fair, and two, I'd like you not to keel over because you decided to cement your arteries closed."

He should've laughed at the comment. Instead, he reached for her hand, engulfing her fingers without hesitation.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised, gruff with far more emotion than was warranted by one offhand, teasing statement. "Not if I can help it."

Kate turned, bumping her lips across his jaw. "I know that, Rick."

For so long after her mother's death, she hadn't been able to say that. Not with any sense of confidence. Her father had disappeared into a bottle and she had told herself it was better to avoid it all; stave off pain by avoiding even the potential for happiness.

Then she had met this man, and he had given her the hope that there could be more than fear, more than being terrified of losing the people she held dear.

And she knew he would do everything he could to keep her hope alive.

"I know," she repeated against his skin, squeezing the back of his neck before releasing him. "But, Rick," she added, unable to disguise her chuckle, "I think a few someones beat you to the bacon."

It wasn't just the bacon, either; the kids had already started eating breakfast. Alexis was nibbling on a strip of bacon, Eli had chosen a pancake, and Anna had helped herself to a fistful of eggs.

Suffice to say, they would be changing the linens before they left the house.

Rick laughed, shaking his head. "Look at you guys. C'mere, let's get you cleaned up."

Kate waved him off. "Leave them for now. They're just going to get messier as they eat. We'll throw them in a bath and wash the blankets after we're done."

"You sure?"

"I gave up on things being spotless long ago, Rick. Everything will survive for a little while."

Rick's head bobbed. "Fair enough. Okay, let's eat, then."

"Let's eat," Kate echoed, handing Alexis a plate. "Take what you want, honey."

Alexis attacked the tray with gusto, sending a sly grin in Kate's direction.

"You'd think we hadn't fed them this week," Rick joked, breaking Eli's ill-gotten pancake down into smaller pieces while Kate brushed egg out of Anna's fist.

"Growth spurts all around," she hummed, offering her daughter a bite of strawberry. "Even Alexis."

It surprised her sometimes, how much Alexis had grown in just a year. The girl's cheeks had lost some of the roundness of early childhood, and her hair fell down her back in long waves. She was at least an inch taller than she had been that first day in the hallway, if not more, as well.

In another year, she would be even more grown up. All three of the kids would be.

"Hey, you okay?"

Kate lifted her eyes, blinking twice to bring him into focus. One side of his lips twitched; of course he was amused to have caught her spacing out.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about how large our grocery bill is going to be in a few years."

Rick laughed, shaking his head. "Eh, it'll be fine. We'll be rich by then, right? Now here, eat up."

Her fingers closed around the proffered fork, spearing a piece of sausage and dragging it through the pool of syrup before lifting it to her mouth.

"Eat," Rick growled. "Don't tease me."

She couldn't help the burst of laughter that spilled from her lips; he was so easy. When the twins joined in, it only made her chuckle harder.

"Not cool," he muttered, distracting himself with a bite of bacon.

Breakfast continued with bursts of silliness, quiet teases, and gentle laughter. By the time the tray was empty and their plates were clean, her stomach felt as though it might burst. So much for the calories she had burned earlier.

"That was delicious," she announced, slumping back against the headboard and rubbing a hand over her belly. "You know you didn't have to go all out like that, Rick."

"I wanted to," he insisted, sharing a long look with his daughter.

Kate smiled, ignoring their scheming for a moment.

"You know, my mom used to make brunch like this on Sunday mornings. As often as she could."

Rick beamed, leaning over to take a kiss from her mouth. "Then consider today a step toward continuing that tradition."

Her fingers curled at his ear, keeping him close as a lazy warmth spread through her. "Kay."

"Kay," he echoed, stealing another kiss before turning to the twins. "You guys are wearing your syrup. And your eggs."

They giggled, bouncing in place. Full stomachs or not, they were ready to play. Which meant someone would have to move, if only to close the bedroom doors to contain the chaos to one room.

Her boyfriend must have read her mind, because the next thing she knew, he was scooting off the bed and offering her a small pile of napkins.

"Here, you wipe them down; I'll get a play area set up. Oh, and I'll get us more coffee."

"Sure, make me the bad guy," she teased, lifting one of the wipes from the stack and turning to the messiest of her children.

It was Anna, of course. Kate knew that she had managed to get food in her mouth, but given the state of her daughter's hands, face, and clothes, that wasn't readily obvious.

The move went over about as well as she had expected it to, especially when one napkin wasn't enough to take care of the mess, but they got through it.

Eli was somewhat more cooperative than his sister had been; he, at least, waited until Kate reached for his hands to make a break for the end of the bed.

"No, no, no. Not yet, mister." She hauled him back into her lap, smooching his still-sticky cheek and reaching for a clean napkin. "Two seconds, then you can play with your sisters."

Her son whined, but he didn't attempt to make another break for it. He also didn't look back once she released him into the wild.

Kate settled against the pillows again, watching the twins bounce around Alexis, chattering at the top of their little voices. Eventually she would suggest playing a quieter game, but for now, it was nice to hear how well they were getting along.

She should get up and help, she knew, but the most she could manage was tossing the remaining wipes into a clean spot beside their stacked plates.

Only to have the entire pile slide from the tray and fall onto her outstretched legs.

Ink markings caught her eye, and she forced herself to stretch forward to snag the paper. Rick wouldn't be happy if she threw away notes he had made during one of his random brainstorming sessions. The man had half a dozen journals and notebooks, and yet when he had an idea, he just wrote on the first thing he could find - napkins, cardboard, the back of bills, even Alexis's homework once. (Only once, because there was no way saying, "My dad plotted out a crime scene on my homework," was going to fly a second time.)

But as soon as her fingers closed around the napkin, she noted that the scribbles weren't plot points, or notes about a potential killer.

It was a phone number.

His phone number. Well, sort of.

She knew this napkin. She had stared down this napkin more times than she cared to remember; there was no forgetting it.

What the hell?

"Rick?" she called, swiping her tongue over her lips when he appeared in the doorway with their coffee mugs in hand. "What's this doing he-"

"Turn it over," he interrupted, licking his own lips.

"Huh?" It was the most articulate thing she could manage. It just didn't make sense that _this_ napkin had found its way into a stack of ordinary kitchen napkins. "I thought this was packed somewhere?"

Her boyfriend lifted a shoulder, padding over to her side of the bed and perching at her hip. "It was, but I found it when I was emptying the box for the 'junk drawer.' Did you realize we packed a junk drawer, Kate?"

Nodding, she watched his face for clues as to why he had chosen to unearth it today. "Actually, we packed two junk drawers, babe. One from your place, one from mine."

"Uh huh. Well I found that when I was unpacking, and I thought it would be useful."

One eyebrow lifted. "Useful? A bar napkin with an incorrect phone number is useful?"

"Uh huh. Because it's where we started."

Her eyes darted to the side, finding Alexis and the twins making silly faces at one another, paying no attention to the adults in the room.

"Not exactly the best start."

Rick's head dipped, conceding the point with a soft smile. "Maybe not. And maybe it's not the best example, but then I could argue that it represents what might be a unique ability of ours to overcome challenges. Think about it, how many couples get the second chance we did?"

Well, he had a point there. Second chances were rare for most people.

"That's true. We did get pretty lucky."

Luckier still that they had actually worked, that they hadn't crashed and burned, or been completely incompatible anywhere other than the bedroom.

His mouth touched her cheek, his lips dry but warm, and her body pitched toward him, eager to get closer.

"Turn it over, Kate," Rick repeated, pressing his mouth to her temple.

He reached for her hand, turning her wrist just enough for her to see the other side of the napkin, and the new words he had added to it.

 _Kate, will you marry me?_

Her heart stuttered, thumping in short, hard bursts against her sternum.

"Oh my God. Oh my go- you're proposing?!"

His hand slipped away from hers, retreating into the pocket of his pajama pants to retrieve a box. A ring box.

He was - oh God, he was really proposing. He was asking her to marry him.

"Just to check, I didn't leave anything out this time, right?" he teased, leaning over her arm to survey his handiwork. "No misspelled words or forgotten punctuation marks?"

Her eyes darted between his lopsided grin, the napkin in her hand, and the ring – holy shit, the gorgeous, _large_ diamond-covered ring – before she managed to shake her head.

"No, it's all there," she croaked, lifting a hand to his cheek. "It's all - you - you're serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," he said, pressing his mouth to the inside of her wrist. "This is the most serious thing I've ever done. I love you, Kate."

"I love you, too," she breathed, licking her lips. "I – when did you buy this?"

One of his shoulders lifted, feigning a nonchalance she saw right through; he was nervous, too. "Couple weeks ago. Right after we found this place. I couldn't find one I thought you would like, so I asked someone my mother knows to design this. Do you like it? I mean is this okay? He said if there's anything you want to change, or if it needs to be resized, to come back to him."

She gawked. "Is it _okay_? Rick, I love this. It's stunning. It's also _huge_."

Thankfully, his only response to that was a tiny leer before he grew serious once more. "I'm glad you like it."

She nodded in assurance, swallowing hard as he fidgeted with the box. She wanted to know, but she wouldn't ask how much the ring had set him back. Engagement rings weren't cheap, and a custom design? There was no way it hadn't been insane, even coming from an acquaintance of Martha's.

"I was going to wait to ask you until next week, but with the book coming out, I thought it would just be too much," he continued, pulling her attention away from the intricate white gold band in front of her. "But today just felt perfect. I love mornings like this when we can be lazy, have brunch, and spend half the day in bed if we want. But I also love mornings where it's so frantic we're stepping on each other and can barely stop to think. And I want that to be the rest of our lives. I want the good stuff and the bad, when I'm driving you insane and when you're being so stubborn it makes me nuts. Partners. So Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"

"Say yes, Kate! He was so nervous when he was practicing, you gotta say yes!" Alexis urged from beside them, drawing a watery chuckle from Beckett's lips.

Of course he'd gotten Alexis in on the plan. He'd, oh, he'd gotten all of the children in on it, whether they knew it or not. The time spent cuddling, breakfast in bed, all of that had been part of his master plan, his way of showing her what their future could hold.

God, she loved him. She loved the way he offered everything of himself to her, the way he broke all of her rules and never once made her regret letting him into her heart. She loved the way they fit together, the way they worked, even when they absolutely shouldn't.

And she wanted every last bit of the life he was describing for them.

Her fingers flexed against his cheek, thumb tracing the line of his jaw before her hand curled around the back of his neck and pulled his mouth to hers to taste the sweetness and hope, the love, on his tongue.

"Yes."

* * *

 _A/N: I know I've said this before or after every chapter of this story, but I cannot begin to express what all of you have meant to me. This story exists because of all of you, and your kindness, your patience, your belief in it and in me. Thank you all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you'll join me again in the future when I revisit this universe._

 _Thank you._


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